Fate and Magic
by AnaDona
Summary: AU. Arthur grew up with her, they were best friends. But now, there's something different. He can't help but think she is hiding something and he can't understand why she is so at ease with Merlin. Arthur/OC. Includes episode re-writes.
1. Lillian - Lost and Alone

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, which is a shame because I would make sure there was another several series still. **

**A/N: Okay, so here is my first Merlin fanfic. I began writing it while I had writers block on my Doctor Who stories. Please be nice, I can take criticism, as long as it doesn't make me want to cry.  
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A few gold coins and the clothes she was wearing were all that she owned now. Everything else had been burned along with her home and every other building in her once peaceful and wondrous town. Raiders had come during the night and she was lucky to have escaped. Her parents had not been as lucky, neither had many of the other people who lived there. Somehow, she had managed to escape by heading into the forest.

The raiders seemed too busy grabbing what treasures they could and destroying everything else. She watched as the flames grew and the thick black smoke filled the night air. There was little she could do now, all she could do was hope and pray that other people managed to escape the wrath of the raiders. She took one last look at the town that had once been her home and turned away, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks, and headed into the dark depths of the treacherous, unwelcoming forest on the boarder of her home.

The forest floor was alive with the dancing beams of sunlight that was breaking through the lush, green trees. The songs of the birds were filling the late afternoon air and the creatures of the forest were awake, scurrying about doing their daily business. A young woman with long, golden brown curls and a rich silk dress came out from the trees and into the clearing. Her dress that would once have been glorious and a vibrant purple in colour was now torn and dirty. There were cuts on her soft, smooth, pale skin, most likely caused by branches and such in the forest. She looked exhausted, her vivid green eyes dull and full of sadness.

She sat herself down on a large, smooth boulder and placed her head in her hands. She knew she had to move on, but where was she to go? There was one place she could go, a place where she knew people, where she had been born and spent some of her childhood. A place where she would feel safe, safe within the city walls. It was also the most dangerous place she could go but what other choice did she have. The forest was a dangerous place as well, soon it would be night and it would take her some time to reach her destination on foot but she would have to try.

Suddenly she sensed movement, twigs snapping under the weight of something, something that could not possibly be of an animal living in the forest. She craned her neck and looked around the clearing. The leaves on the trees were rustling in the slight breeze but there was nothing else to see. Maybe it was a small critter, heading home for the night. She heard it again, louder, closer, more twigs were breaking and she rose to her feet. Her heart was racing, her mouth dry, small beads of sweat formed on her forehead and she was suddenly aware of everything around her. The slight swaying of the trees, the mossy growth beneath her feet and the carving on the tree made by couple in love.

It reminded her of summer days long ago when she would venture out into the forests and enjoy climbing trees with her best friend. It was not something that her parents had approved of, a young girl of her status climbing trees. They had tried to make her more of a lady and she would start the day in such a clean and pretty dress but always return dirty and on many occasions with several cuts and bruises. Her parents would not get angry with her, her only friend, her best friend, had been a young boy. He was a noble young man and always had good intentions, they were to be friends for life. One day that had all changed.

Something moved behind her, behind one of the trees. She had been so distracted by all of those memories flooding back to her, her mind was in a world of its own. Now she was remembering the sounds that had occurred before her mind had wandered. Maybe she was being paranoid. She was very tired and hungry so it was possible she had imagined anything she believes to have heard. She went to turn around but the young woman was not fast enough.

Four dirty and tough men closed in around the young woman, each man holding a sharp blade. One of them was heading straight towards her, his dark hair scruffy and a gash under his eye crusted with dried blood. She had given him that cut, she remembered hitting him with something back in the town. They were raiders, her luck was out now, and they had caught her. She didn't struggle, just stood there with a blade held to her throat.

They were taunting her, laughing at her. They had spotted her running towards the forest and their leader had sent them to find her, to kill her. She wondered why she ever thought that she could get away, no one lives after the raiders have arrived.

They described all the details of how they burned the town, the screams from the men, woman and children lingered in their homes after the flames engulfed buildings. People had begged for their lives, the raiders took no mercy and killed them all, the livestock had been slaughtered as well. She tried her best not to listen to them but she found it difficult when the cold, sharp metal was pressing against the skin of her neck.

The taunting continued, they were trying to upset her, and so they started to talk about her parents. They claimed that she abandoned them, that they wasted their last breaths calling out for their beloved daughter. It was that which struck a chord, her face was no longer emotionless. She clenched her fists and her whole body tensed up, her mind replaying what had just been said over and over.

Her parents had forced her to run, as they did not want to see her facing the same fate as them. The raider holding her tightly moved his head closer to her and whispered into her ear, his breath foul and his teeth rotten.  
"Don't you worry you will be back with mummy and daddy soon."

His grip on her tightened and an evil grin swept across his dirty and bloody face. His blackened teeth, or what was left of them, on full show. His fellow men laughed and closed in around her, this was it, her time had come. She closed her eyes and waited for the end, her last thought being that of the place she wanted to be even if it was dangerous for her to be there.

The city was in shock, there had been an explosion from the forest outside of the city that no one could explain. The city was full of fear and confusion. The king summoned his son and bestowed upon him the task of investigating.

Immediately a group of men on horseback, in full battle armour, were heading into the forest. The only noise that could be heard was that of the chain mail and the horses they were riding upon. There was no bird songs filling the air and that in itself was a worry. The kings army moved deeper into the forest with caution, they did not know what might face them further on ahead.

It was not hard to find the area from which the explosion came from. The tress were blackened and burnt, still smouldering with smoke rising up. The bodies of five men spread out around the area, their skin charred and the smell of burning flesh rose from each one. The leader of the soldiers dismounted and went to take a closer look. He ordered his knights to check to see if any of the men were still alive even though he was sure they were dead.

Amongst the men in their clean, shining armour was a young man wearing old, cloth clothing. It was clear he was not a soldier, but he was staying close to the man giving the orders. He seemed more cautious than the others did, looking around at all the details, the position of the dead men. Something did not add up, none of this made any sense. What had caused the scorch marks on the trees and what had caused the explosion.

He slowly made his way around the trees, then something drew his attention, something brightly coloured. He edged his way towards what had caught his eye, his eyes widened and he called out. "Sire, over here!"

At once, the leader rushed over to where the young man was, crouching on the sodden ground. There before them both lay a young woman, her dress in tatters and blood over her face. The man who had been referred to as sire knelt down beside the woman and placed his arm under her head. He gently raised it and the expression on his face was pure shock.  
"Lily", he whispered.

He looked at her, rage filling up inside of him. He knew the woman and he knew her well. They had grown up together, such great friends, until her parents decided it was time to leave the city. They had not seen each other since that day, so many years ago, and this was not the way he had imagined that they would next meet. He could only imagine what had happened to her, and was now glad the other men were dead.

The knights helped to get her onto his horse, and for a moment, she opened her eyes, and mumbled a single word, "Arthur."

He gave the order to move out and return to the city, but he was reminded that they had not found the cause of the explosion. The young man who had found the woman was speaking up, they had been sent there by the king to find the source and yet nothing had been found that could have caused the chaos around them. The man had his own ideas of what may have happened, he feared magic was involved.

There was silence the entire trip back to the city. The woman had not regained consciousness since that very brief moment before when she muttered Arthur's name. He couldn't help but wonder if she had recognised him or if she had just called the first name she could think of. Either way, his concern for her was growing.

"Merlin, fetch Gaius. I will take her to the chamber next to mine." Arthur told the man who had found the woman as they reached the castle.

Merlin nodded at him while the knights helped the get the woman off the horse. Arthur then wasted no time in charging through the castle and to the chamber next to his own. He gently placed her down on the soft bed, brushing her matted hair away from her dirt covered face. He could see that she had been crying, there were streaks down her face from the tears.

Soon enough the door flew open, the court physician entering the room with Merlin trailing behind him. He's eyes widened and a look of panic set upon his face when he saw the woman lying on the bed. "Lady Lillian." He exclaimed, before rushing to the bedside to examine her.

Gaius took his time in examining her, much to the prince's annoyance. "I can see no serious injuries. There are minor cuts and bruises on her skin. I suspect she may have concussion as well, but we shall have to wait for her to awake to be able to determine that." He concluded.

"Will she be alright, Gaius?" Arthur asked him, the concern in his voice was evident, which was raising a lot of questions for Merlin.

Merlin had been in Camelot for some time now, and had been working as Prince Arthur's manservant for most of that time. During that short time he had learned much about his master, and his destiny.

Gaius hesitated for a moment. "I cannot be sure until she is awake, sire. I will attend to her wounds but I am afraid that is all I shall be able to do for now" Arthur nodded at him and allowed the physician get on with his work.

He did not leave her side the entire time, his eyes constantly locked on her pale face. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, his mind was in turmoil. He was pulled from his thoughts when the door opened again and his father entered the room.

Arthur acknowledged his father, looking at him and nodding slightly. The King looked at his son, his face was also filled with concern. "I heard that you had returned and wondered why you had not come to inform me yourself. Now I understand why." King Uther said softly, looking at his son.

"Lady Lillian was found amongst a group of bodies, I believe they were raiders. I am afraid to inform you that we did not find the source of the explosion." Arthur held his head high, trying not to show his father how ashamed he was.

Uther just smiled at his son. "Your main concern was the safety of the Lady Lillian. I well send a patrol out to investigate further." Arthur could see that his father was not angry, nor disappointed with him, which had been somewhat of a relief. "How is she?"

"Gaius believes there are no serious injuries, but we will not know any more until she has regained consciousness." He tore his eyes away from his father for a moment to look back at the woman on the bed.

The King nodded at his son. "I do not expect to see you at any training sessions today or tomorrow. I am sure they will be able to survive without their Price." Uther then left the room, leaving Arthur there with his manservant Merlin. Gaius had left some time ago, having finished doing all he could.

"Are you okay, sire?" Merlin asked cautiously. He did not want his master to feel that he was prying

Arthur let out a sigh before looking at him. "Lady Lillian is a childhood friend of mine. We were best friends growing up. Then her family moved way from Camelot and we haven't seen each other since. This was not how I had imagined we would see each other again."

His master had answered some of his questions for him, without him even having to ask them. "Is there anything you would like me to do?" Merlin asked him, seeing that the Prince was too worried to thinking about anything but Lady Lillian.

"Yes. Fetch me some water and a cloth. I cannot bear to see her face covered with so much dirt any longer." Arthur ordered. Merlin couldn't help but smile a little as he left the room to fulfil his master's request.

When he returned he was surprised the moment Arthur took the cloth from him and started to gently clean her face himself. He was being so gentle with her, and did not say as word as done his best to wash away the grime. Merlin had never seen Arthur act that way around anyone before, and it was also odd as Arthur was very reluctant to even wash himself at times. He was the Prince, and he liked to make Merlin's life miserable.

Once he was satisfied with the job he had done he turned to Merlin again. "She cannot stay in these clothes. Fetch Guinevere, and ask her to find some clothes for her." Merlin nodded at him and headed out of the door again, still in shock at the way he was acting, it was very out of character for him.

Arthur just sat in the chair beside her bed, gazing at her with such a sad look upon his face. They had been so young when he had last seen her, and looking at her now, she was even more beautiful to him than she was before.

As children their parents had always teased them, telling them how they were the perfect match for each other. They knew how to annoy each other, but they also knew how to calm the other down or comfort them. Of course they were only children and they were both disgusted at the idea. They were the best of friends and were not afraid to tell the other exactly what they thought of them. Obviously that resulted in Lillian calling Arthur quite a few unpleasant names when he had upset her, but he always managed to win her back on to his side.

The only time he left the room was when Guinevere arrived with another of the maids to assist in dressing Lady Lillian into something more suitable. When he was allowed back in the room she was peacefully tucked up in the bed.

Prince Arthur must have fallen asleep at some point, as he woke up to find his father standing beside him, gently shaking his shoulder. "Arthur, you are tired. Go and get some sleep. I will watch over her while you are gone." The King insisted.

"No, father, I will not leave her." He replied firmly.

All Uther could so was smile at his son. "Still as protective of her now as you were when you were a child. I see much has not changed. You must at least eat. I will get one of the servants to bring some food to you."

"Thank you, father." Arthur replied, before watching him leave the room again.

He let his eyes wander over to the window, it was dark outside now, so he must have slept in the chair for longer than he had thought. When he looked back at Lillian, he noticed that her cheeks looked wet. He gently brushed one with the back of his hand and confirmed that they were. On closer inspection he could see that she had been crying in her sleep, and that made him worry even more.

There was a knock on the door before Merlin entered with food and drink for the prince. He placed it at the table and Arthur reluctantly move to go and eat, although he didn't not feel at all hungry.

Merlin could clearly see his master was still worried, and it pained him to see Arthur like that. "I'm sure Lady Lillian with be fine, Arthur. I mean, if she survived having you as a best friend, then I'm sure she can pull through this." Merlin knew exactly what he was doing. Insulting the prince, trying to distract him.

Arthur looked at him. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" He asked.

"Well," Merlin started, a smile stretching across his face, "you're arrogant, self-centred, rude, and most of the time just mean." He knew what was coming next and he managed to dodge the apple that Arthur had thrown at him. "Oh, and you have a very bad temper." Another apple headed in his direction and yet again missed him.

"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur called at him. "Stop standing around. My armour needs polishing, my boots need cleaning, the stables need mucking out and my sword needs sharpening." He heard Merlin let out a groan. "Well, off you go."

Merlin sighed as he left the room, he should have known that he would be punished like that for his comments to the prince. He was now likely to get no sleep at all due to the chores he had been given.

Arthur had only eaten a little of the food before he returned to Lillian's side and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep again. No matter how tired he was, he was not going to let her out of his sight, from fear that she may disappear from his life again. He would not let that happen.

The next day passed quickly, and still he did not leave her. His father was become more and more concerned as she had shown no signs of waking up and Arthur showed no sign of resting or eating properly.

By the third day, Arthur was getting restless as well as panicked. He was constantly pacing the room, throwing anything he could at Merlin whenever he saw him. Merlin did not take any of it to heart, he knew that there were reasons for why Arthur was acting the way he was.

That night Merlin was exhausted. As with what usually happened when Arthur was in a bad mood, he had been given more chores than he could handle. It also did not help that Arthur took all his frustration out on his bed chambers, turning the room into a complete mess. He was glad the day was finally over and that he was at last able to get some well deserved rest.

Only it seemed the world around him had other ideas. A woman screaming echoed through his head, making him clutch it in pain. He knew instantly that there was something wrong somewhere, but he wasn't sure he full understood it. He sat there on his bed, wondering what to do as the screaming continued.

Unlike Merlin, Arthur had actually fallen asleep, although it was in the same chair that had been his bed for the past few days . He was getting more worried as the hours passed, but Gaius had assured him that she was not on the brink of death. This only seemed to calm him a little, he was desperate for her to wake up.

Arthur woke up sharply to the sound of someone screaming. He blinked rapidly to get his eyes to focus and looked around the room before setting his eyes on Lillian. He was out of the chair in an instant and was leaning over the bed, grabbing hold of her arms. "Lily! Lily, calm down." He cried over her screams. He could see the tears forcing their way through her closed eyes.

"Lily, wake up. It's me, Arthur. Please, wake up." There was so much emotion in his voice. He was scared, and he didn't know what else to do but try and wake her.

Slowly her screams turned into sobs and she seemed to calm down. Arthur was still gently grasping her arms, waiting for the moment when she would finally open her eyes. He didn't have to wait long as she slowly started to force her eyes open.

Arthur was overjoyed when he saw those green eyes of hers again, he had missed them so much. He watched a Lillian blinked a few times, much like he had when he had woken up. When she caught sight of him looming by her, her eyes widened.

"Arthur?" She whispered, unable to believe who she was seeing there. He simply smiled and nodded to her, which resulted in her sitting bolt upright and throwing her arms around his neck. Arthur did not waste any time in move his arms around her, holding her tightly.

She let a few more tears fall, Arthur was not sure if they were tears of joy or for some other reason, he was only glad that she had finally woken. Arthur was about to speak when the door was thrown open, two guards standing there looking out of breath.

"We heard screams, sire. Is everything alright?" One of them asked.

"Inform Gaius that Lady Lillian is awake. I want him here immediately to make sure she is fine. And inform the King as well." Arthur told them, before they nodded at him and left the room again. He turned his attention back to Lillian.

"You're safe now, Lily. You're in Camelot." Arthur was keeping his voice soft, it was a way he never spoke to anyone. Only his father had ever heard him speak in that way before, and that was always to Lillian.

"They're dead, Arthur. The whole town. Everyone's dead." She whispered to him in between her sobs. "I thought they were going to kill me as well."

Arthur didn't know what to say to her. No one had ventured as far as the town she had been living in, he had never even known where she was living. The moment they had found her they headed straight back to Camelot, it hadn't even occurred to him to check the nearest town.

The minutes passed and there was eventually a gentle knocking at the door. Arthur wiped the tears away from Lillian's face and called for them to enter. He was not surprised to see Gaius enter the room with a grumpy Merlin dragging himself behind.

"Lady Lillian. I am glad to see that you have finally woken up." Gaius said as he approached the bed.

A small smile crept across her face. "Gaius. It is good to see you again, although I am not so happy about the circumstances."

"Indeed." Gaius said, smiling at her a little sadly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like Arthur has been using my head as the target again." Gaius grinned at her while Arthur looked at her in shock that she had mentioned that. Merlin just stood there, completely confused.

"I think you will find that Prince Arthur has a new target these days, one that does not fight back." The physician turned from her and looked at the man standing behind him.

"This is my servant, Merlin. And in the morning, he shall be the target." Arthur confirmed, making Merlin groan.

Lillian just shook her head. "I can see you have not changed one bit, My Lord." She said to Arthur politely.

"Be quiet, Lady Lillian and let Gaius make sure that all is well." Arthur said to her, sitting on the edge of her bed, still grasping one of her hands.

She had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes at him. If there had not been a servant there, then she would have done, but that would not have reflected well on her. She just threw him a look that told him that she was going to get him back for that.

Gaius quickly checked her over and deemed her to be perfectly fine. He recommended that she stay in bed for a while longer and that she be brought food and drink immediately. Merlin took the hint and left to collect that for her.

"Thank you for looking after me, Gaius." Lillian said, as he was about to leave.

"All I have done is tend to your wounds. It has been Arthur who has not left your side." Gaius said, before making a quick exit.

Lillian's head quickly turned to Arthur, his expression was hard for her to read. "How long have to been sitting at my bedside for then, Arthur?"

"We found you three days ago, out in the forest…"

"You've been sitting there for three days?" She asked him in shock. All he could do was nod at her, he knew what was coming next. "You've wasted three days of your life by worrying over me. That's three days of training, three days of watching over Camelot. You are such an idiot sometimes, Pendragon."

Arthur couldn't help but smile when she called him Pendragon. When they had been children she had always called him that when he was in trouble with her. "It would appear you have not changed much either, Lady Lillian."

This time she did roll her eyes at him. All he could do was smirk at her, it felt like nothing between them had changed. "Arthur, what actually happened?" She asked quietly. "The last thing I remember was being in the forest, caught by the raiders. I remember nothing after that, until I woke up here."

Arthur let out a sigh. "We do not yet know. Once you were found, my main priority was to get you back to safety."

Lillian frowned at him. "But what about the raiders?"

"They were dead before we found you. We heard an explosion and went out to investigate." Arthur told her honestly. "My father has sent a patrol out to further investigate."

Lillian nodded at him and understood that Arthur was not going to comment any further on the events that had passed. There was silence between them, but not an awkward one. Arthur was glad to have found her again and she was glad to be away from the raiders.

After Merlin had brought food for both Lillian and Arthur and they had finished, the prince demanded that she get some more rest. Of course, Lillian being Lillian protested hard against him, but eventually gave in when she realised he was just as stubborn as ever.

"If you need anything, Merlin will assist you." Arthur told her as she sulked in her bed.

"I am quite capable of looking after myself, sire. I have been doing it for some time now."

Arthur smirked at her. "Yes, and look where that got you. As long as you are in Camelot, you are my guest, and with that comes the pleasure of servants." Lillian looked at Merlin, it looked like he was ready to hit him. "If you need me, feel free to come and find me."

Lillian let out a sigh. She knew exactly what he was doing, being over protective of her. And because of that, she now knew exactly where in the castle she was. "Would I be right in saying that you have supplied me with the chamber next to yours?" There was something in her tone that Arthur knew to be annoyance.

"I bid you goodnight, Lady Lillian." Arthur said, before hastily making his exit before she could get any further annoyed with him.

She shook her head and turned to Merlin, who was clearing up from their meal. "Sorry, Merlin? Would you please inform Gaius that I shall pay him a visit tomorrow at some point? I would like to catch up with him before Prince Arthur starts to boss me around."

The young warlock couldn't help but grin at her. Arthur loved to boss everyone around, and he knew that all too well. "Of course, Lady Lillian. Will there be anything else you require?"

"No, that is all. Thank you, Merlin. Goodnight." She watched him leave the room and the door clicked shut behind him. She strained her ears, listening to his footsteps as he went.

Once she was certain that he was gone she found she was no longer able to control her emotions and began to silently cry. She was not going to be resting much for the rest of the night, unless that rest came from exhaustion.

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**A/N: So, let me know what you guys think. This chapter was pretty much introducing Lillian, and giving some of her background. I am very likely to re-write certain episodes along the way. As well as have my own story lines pop in. **

**Thank you for reading, tell me what you liked, if you like anything. If there are spelling or grammatical errors, let me know that as well. **

**Pippa.**


	2. Staying is Not an Option

**A/N: Thank you to all the lovely people who have reviewed. I decided to upload another chapter because you all make me smile. Thank you to those who have followed/favourited the story as well. I'm glad people like it. **

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Lillian did eventually cry herself to sleep. She was surprised that Arthur had not come to her during the rest of the night to check on her, but she was confident that he was exhausted as well and in need of some sleep.

She was woken by a gentle knocking on her door. After forcing her eyes open she realised that it was light outside and that the rest of Camelot was already waking. She called for them to enter and a young woman stepped through the door.

"Good morning, my lady. My name is Guinevere, Prince Arthur has requested that I assist you with dressing and also that he wishes for you to join him for breakfast."

Lillian smiled at the woman. "Thank you Guinevere. It would appear the prince still believes me to be incapable of doing anything for myself."

Guinevere returned the smile. "Please, call me Gwen. And I believe Arthur is only trying to do what he thinks is best, Lady Lillian."

Lillian laughed at little. "He is just as arrogant as ever I do believe. And please, no need to call me Lady, just Lillian will be fine."

Gwen assisted her in getting dressed, all the while discussing how most people believe Arthur to be arrogant, and rude. Lillian couldn't agree more, he had always been that way with most people. He was a prince after all.

There was a very loud knocking on the door and right away Lillian knew who it was that was outside, demanding her attention. "Arthur Pendragon, you have no concept of patience." She called, knowing that he would hear her.

She heard him laughing outside of the door. "That is tremendously impolite of you, Lady Lillian. You do realise that I am the Prince of Camelot."

Lillian marched right over to the door and pulled it open to see Arthur leaning against the wall. "And I am the crowned Princess of Rolana, or had that slipped your mind?"

Arthur stood there with wide eyes. That was information that he did not know, or if he had once known, he no longer remembered. "When did that happen?" He asked her in shock.

Lillian was taken back by the fact that he hadn't known. "Quite some time ago, actually." She could tell from the look on Arthur's face that he was still in shock. "My brother is King, the crown was passed to him only a few years after we left Camelot."

Arthur managed to compose himself a little. "Right. Are you ready now?" Lillian nodded at him and escorted her to his chamber where Merlin was just finishing setting the table.

"Good morning, Merlin." Lillian said as she entered the room and saw him.

"Good morning, Lady Lillian. I hope you slept well and are feeling better today."

"I am feeling much better today, thank you Merlin." She was not going to tell him that she hardly slept due to her crying.

"That will be all for now, Merlin. Carry on with the rest of your chores." Arthur said, waving his servant out of the room. Merlin was all too happy to leave them alone, Arthur had given him enough to keep him busy for most of the day.

Arthur pulled a chair out for Lillian to sit down before sitting down himself. For some reason he was acting like such a gentleman. "Well, it would appear that much has actually changed since you left Camelot." Arthur said as he started on his breakfast.

"And I take it that you want me to tell you all about it?" Lillian asked, knowing that was exactly what he wanted. "I'm surprised that the oh so wonderful prince of Camelot seems to no longer know anything about me." She said, smugly.

Arthur frowned at her. "So are you going to tell me or are you going to keep avoiding the issue?"

Lillian let out a sigh. "When we were living in Camelot, it was for my brother to prove his worth to be the king. Our father had always been persistent that he would pass the crown to him as soon as he was ready. When we returned, he had proved himself to the people, and to our father." That was only half of the truth, there was so much more to it, but she knew she would never be able to tell Arthur about it.

"So he was crowned king, you were crowned princess. What where you doing living in a town just outside of the forests past Camelot?" Arthur asked with a great interest.

"Let's just say my brother and I had a few… disagreements. We haven't spoken in years, and I do not plan on speaking to him now. His attitude can sometimes be worse than yours."

Arthur frowned at her some more. "What are you implying about my attitude, Lillian?"

"You know exactly what I am implying, Arthur. You were rotten as a child and you're still a child now." She answered him, grinning at him smugly again.

Arthur couldn't help but smile at her. He didn't care that she was insulting him, she had always done that and he would expect nothing less from her. She would always tell him the truth, she had never been afraid to stand up to him, or to show him up.

"So, are you actually going to show you face at training today then? Or are you going to carry on ordering me around for the day?" She asked after they had finished eating.

She could see how badly he wanted to keep at her side for the entire day, but he knew he needed to show his face around Camelot. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let you have today to yourself. I know my father will be wanting to speak with you."

Lillian smiled at him, glad that he was going to allow her to do as she pleased for the day. "I also have plans to catch up with Gaius, it has been too long since I was last in Camelot.

"I hope you know that I will not be allowing you to leave Camelot?" Arthur told her seriously.

This caused Lillian to frown at him. Why on Earth would he not be will to let her leave? "Are you serious?" She asked him. The prince just looked at her, a stern look on his face. "And what are you going to do if I do decide to leave, Pendragon?"

"A week in the dungeon? How does that sound?" Lillian knew that he was serious, but still didn't know why.

"You make me spend even a minute in that dungeon you will live to regret it." Arthur knew from the tone of her voice that she was not throwing him an empty threat. "I don't care if you are the prince, it never stopped me before."

"Well then, just because you are a princess, don't expect me to treat you any differently. To me you're still my Little Lily." Arthur had a rather satisfying smile on his face. He knew that if there was one way to annoyed her, it was to call her that.

Lillian was clearly not impressed, and her face showed it. "And to me you are still the most annoying, self-obsessed, arrogant pig that I have ever had the misfortune to meet."

Arthur was about to reply when the door to his chamber was opened, Merlin standing in the doorway. "Don't you know how to knock, Merlin?" He asked, clearly annoyed at the way he failed to knock before he opened the door.

Merlin just ignored his comment. "The King has requested the presents of you and the Lady Lillian."

"I suppose my father wishes to talk with you now, Lillian. It looks like you are causing me to miss yet another day of training." She glared daggers at him, none of this was her fault.

She pushed her chair away and stood up. "Come now, My Lord, we must not keep the King waiting."

Arthur reluctantly got up and followed Lillian towards the door, which Merlin was holding open for her. "Thank you, Merlin." She said before stepping out. Merlin had to admit, he was quite surprised by her manners, she seemed to have so many more than Arthur.

Once outside of the room Arthur offered his arm to escort Lady Lillian to where he knew his father would be waiting for them. He couldn't help but notice that she seemed to be getting slightly nervous. Her little habits seem to have stuck with her, the tugging at her dress when she felt uncomfortable, the way she kept her gaze firmly focused on the floor.

"What has you so nervous all of a sudden?" He asked her, hoping that she would be truthful to him.

"It is highly likely that the patrol has returned already. If they ventured as far as my home then they would have found nothing but the bodies of my parents, my friends and the ruins of our homes." She whispered, trying to keep herself calm.

"I'm sorry. I never thought…"

Lillian stopped in her tracks, forcing Arthur to stop with her. "Arthur, it is not your fault. Nothing you could have done would have prevented what has happened. You were not to know, no one was."

He could see the sadness in her eyes, she had always been good at hiding her true feelings, but he had always seen straight through them. "I'm truly am sorry, Lillian."

She smiled at him as best she could. "Come, your father is still waiting for us." She started walking again, taking Arthur with her. He could only shake his head, she really hadn't changed much in the time she had been away.

They carried on walking through the castle in silence until they reached the throne room where King Uther was waiting for them. His wait was not a long one as the doors were soon open with Prince Arthur and Lady Lillian looking more than comfortable in each other's company.

"Lady Lillian, Princess of Rolana. I am glad to see you looking so well." Uther said, stepping towards her, his arms open.

"I am glad to be feeling so well after the recent events, My Lord." She replied, showing her respect by curtseying.

Uther smiled at her some more. "Come now, child. We are all friends here." He took another step forward and surprised her by embracing her in a hug. It also shocked Arthur slightly as well, but he couldn't stop the smile from taking over his face.

Arthur cleared his throat and Lillian took a step back from Uther and stood again with Arthur. "Has there been news from the patrol, Sire?" He asked.

He could tell by the change of his father's expression that there had been and that the news was not good. "The patrol has returned. After investigating the area they move on towards the small town where Lady Lillian lived. I am afraid to say that all they found was death and destruction." Uther looked at Lillian sadly, her parents had been among the dead, but she already knew that. "They found no other survivors."

Arthur quickly glanced at Lillian and saw her hiding her emotions again. He knew that deep down she had been hoping that somehow, someone else had survived, even though the prospect of it was impossible. He also knew that she was grieving for her family.

"I will send word to King Irwin, notifying him of the death of your parents." Lillian just nodded at him, afraid that if she tried to speak all she would end up doing was cry. "And I shall also inform him of your safety." She wasn't so sure she liked the idea of that. Her bother had not known where they had been living, they had no contact with him at all.

"Thank you, sire." Lillian finally managed to say, bowing her head at him in respect.

"What will you do now, Lady Lillian? You are Princess of Rolana, do you wish to return there?" Uther asked, unaware of the conflict that had happened with her brother.

"Sire, your son has made it perfectly clear to me that any attempt made to leave Camelot will result with the dungeons and I becoming more acquainted." Uther couldn't help but laugh at her response. He had expected nothing less of his son when it came to Lillian.

"Then I welcome you to stay here for as long as you wish." Lillian nodded again and thanked him. In all honestly, she had nowhere else to go. Going back to Rolana was always her last option, and even though Camelot would be dangerous, she knew she was somewhat safe there. "Now, I am sure both of you have much to catch up on. I expect you to be inseparable again in no time."

Arthur and Lillian both left the King, Lillian accepting Arthur's arm when he held it out to her. "It would appear that your father agrees with your way of convincing me to stay here in Camelot." Lillian said as they headed back towards their chambers.

"Well of course he does, it's a brilliant idea." Arthur was still smiling. He couldn't remember having smiled so much in such a long time.

"Do you not have training to go to?" Lillian asked him before he could ask her any questions or tease her.

"Oh, um, yes. I do. I should probably be going. May I enquire as to what you are planning on doing?" He was stuttering, Lillian noticed. He never used to stutter before.

Lillian smiled at him sweetly. "I promised to visit an old friend, remember. Gaius was always looking after me when you decided I was the target."

"Is that all you remember? You being the target? Have you forgotten all those times that I let you win a battle against me?"

Lillian started to laugh a little. "Oh, so you let me win? That's not what it seemed at the time, dear prince. I do believe you were acting like the world had ended because you lost to a girl."

That struck a chord with the prince. "I let you win because you were too stubborn to give up. You would have ended up getting injured again."

She rolled her eyes at him, she was not the only stubborn person now residing in the castle. "Whatever helps you to sleep at night Arthur. Now, off you go to your training." She pulled her arm away from him, making sure that he got the message that the conversation was over and that he needed to leave.

He started walking off before turning back around and looking and Lillian. "I was thinking, maybe later you would like to go out for a ride? I think you will be impressed with the horses we have now."

Lillian eyed his carefully, she knew when that boy was up to something, and she we being told that he was up to something. All the same she smiled at him. "That would wonderful, sire. Please excuse me while I go visit Gaius." Arthur said his farewells and they both headed in different directions.

Lillian was glad to be with Gaius in his quarters. There were no guards around and other servants would only come to him if they needed his help. She knew she could completely relax now, which was a relief.

She knocked on the door and heard someone walking around inside. The door a few moments later to reveal Merlin, looking rather flustered. "I have come to see Gaius, I hope I am not interrupting anything."

"No, no. It's fine, come on in, My Lady." Merlin said, holding the door open of her to enter.

As she did, she looked around the room. The books and potions filling every wall. "Lady Lillian, I take it you are feeling much better today?" Gaius asked when he spotted her.

She let herself smile at him. "Indeed I am. I can see this place has not changed in the slightest." She noted.

"And it would appear that neither have you. Although, I would have expected you to be putting our prince to shame in training this morning."

"I thought it wise to allow him some time to get back on form, since he has already missed so many days training because of myself. Otherwise we would be hearing nothing but how he was out of shape for days if I were to beat him." Lillian and Gaius both knew that to be true.

"Shouldn't you be heading off, Merlin? If you're late for training, Arthur really is going to make you the target." Lillian heard the boy groan before rushing out of the room and to join his master on the training grounds.

"I take it there is more to this visit than to discuss the past." Gaius asked cautiously.

"Yes, Gaius. The truth is, I am afraid of being in Camelot and Arthur is refusing to let me leave. And we both know why I am afraid of being here." Gaius nodded at her, he understood her fears all too well.

"As long as you are careful, you will be safe." He assured her. "How are you and Arthur getting along?"

Lillian let out a sigh. "He seems to have become more arrogant and demanding than he was as a child. I would never say it to him, but he really has changed, a lot."

Gaius nodded at her. "After your family left, he was rather distraught. He took up all his time with training and learning the ways of the council. He allowed himself no free time, he dedicated himself to his father more than ever."

"I'm sure he will be a fine king some day." Lillian told him, already knowing that Arthur was doing all he could to please his father and gain his approval.

"And I'm sure that with you here, he will become even finer." Gaius noticed the sadness in her eyes. "What is the matter, Lillian?"

She let out a sigh. "I'm sure you have heard that the patrol returned and of what they found." Gaius nodded at her. "The King is sending word to my brother of the events, and informing him where I am. I fear, that in the current situation, he will order me to return to Rolana."

Gaius studied her carefully. He could see how much she was in distress with that matter. "You do not wish to leave Camelot?"

"Arthur has made it very clear I am not allowed to leave Camelot, otherwise he will have me locked up." Lillian smiled at Gaius. "And we both know he would actually do that, even to me."

"I fear that he may now be more protective of you." He warned her.

Lillian couldn't help but think that there was more to everything that was going on than she was being told, but she dared not say anything in case she was completely wrong. "It would appear so. I can't for the life of me understand why. I can be just as rude to him as he is to everyone he meets."

Lillian stayed and assisted Gaius with some of his work for some time. It wasn't until Merlin returned that she realised just how long she had been there for.

He walked into the room, aching all over. "Well, Arthur was acting like even more of a prat today than normal. Something put him in a mood." He called, not realising that Lillian was still there.

"I believe that I may be the cause of that." She told him, grabbing his attention and causing him to stare at her.

"Sorry, Lady Lillian, I didn't realise…"

Lillian held her hand up to stop him from talking. "It's fine, Merlin. I know what that arrogant prince is like. Sometimes I wonder how it hasn't gotten him killed already." She noticed a strange look between Gaius and Merlin and instantly knew that there was something that they both knew. She quickly pushed it to one side and turned to Gaius. "Thank you for today, Gaius."

"I am always here if you need me, Lillian." Gaius said, bowing his head to her. She bowed back and Merlin felt compelled to hold the door open for her. She thanked him before heading back to her chamber.

_There's something going on here, there are secrets being keep by everyone. Including me._ She thought as she approached Arthur's door. She was tempted to knock and speak to him, but decided against it and continued to her room next door. She was surprised to see Gwen there, filling the wardrobe with dresses.

"Good afternoon, Gwen. How has your day been fairing so far?" Lillian asked as she sat down at the table.

"Good afternoon, Lillian. My day has been well, and yours?" Gwen asked, keeping on with her work.

"It has been good to catch up with an old friend, but I know there are many more I still need to see. If I do not visit the Lady Morgana soon, I fear she will hunt me down herself." Lillian had also known her when she was a child, not as well as Arthur, but they did both like to tease and torment Arthur at times.

"You know the Lady Morgana?" Gwen asked, seemingly surprised by this.

"I do. I also know that she has not been sleeping well due to nightmares. I can not imagine how hard it must be for her." _Actually, I partly can._ She thought to herself.

There was a knocking at the door, Lillian rolled her eyes as Gwen went to open it. Stood there was none other than Prince Arthur, not that she had expected anyone else. "Is Lady Lillian ready for our picnic?" He inquired.

Lillian jumped out of the chair. "You said nothing about a picnic, My Lord. You only mentioned going out for a ride.

"Did I not? I am quite sure that I did." There was a satisfying, smug grin on his face.

Lillian was not going to allow him to get away with it. "I regret to inform you that I shall not be accompanying you on a picnic."

Arthur frowned at her, unsure of why she was rejecting his gesture. "Guinevere, would you leave us to speak please." She curtly nodded and left the room, the prince closing the door behind him as he stepped in. "Why do you not want to go? It's only a picnic." He asked her curiously.

Lillian glared at him. "You mentioned nothing of a picnic earlier, only taking a ride a on horses. Don't try to wrapped me around your little finger, Pendragon, because it will not work." Arthur could see not only anger in her eyes, but also fear.

"I know you, Lillian, what else is it?" He asked her, confidant that he was right.

Her glared didn't fade, it only grew stronger. "If you really knew me, Arthur Pendragon, then you would not need to even ask that question. Now I would like you to leave." She told him firmly. Was he really that stupid? Had he forgotten what had just happened? Everyone she knew had been killed by raiders, the only place she felt a little at ease was Camelot. Knowing Arthur, the picnic would be outside the city gates and trouble would quickly find them.

Arthur stood there is shock for a moment before turning away from her and leaving. She heard the door to his room slam close and then the shattering of several things being broken in his room. Lillian would ask to be moved to another room, away from Arthur. This man was not the child she had grown up with, he was a stranger who knew nothing about her anymore.

A little while later she heard Arthur shouting for Merlin to leave the room, and then something else was thrown against the wall. She knew that it was her fault that he was in such a foul mood, but she no longer cared. He really had changed too much.

There was a soft knocking at her door, and after giving them permission to enter she found Merlin standing in her room. He immediately noticed that she had been crying. "Is everything alright, My Lady?"

"Merlin, would you be so kind as to find me another room, as far away from that arrogant clotpole of a prince as soon as possible please? And can you also inform the King that I do not feel up to dining with anyone for dinner?" She asked him politely, trying to keep her composure calm.

Merlin was slightly bemused at what she had called the prince, he had called him a clotpole on several occasions now, but had never heard anyone else call him that. "Of course, Lady Lillian." He was about to leave, but something was telling him that there was much more wrong than she was letting on. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

Lillian tried her best to smile at him. "I will not lie and say that it is, but once I am back in Rolana I know everything will be."

Merlin looked at her in shock. "You're going to leave?" Lillian nodded at him, she had thought about it and knew that it was the right thing to do. She could not stay in Camelot any longer, whether she wanted to or not. "But you've only just got here, why would you want to leave so soon?"

Lillian couldn't help but wonder why the young man was so curious. "Prince Arthur is no longer the person I knew. We were still young when I left Camelot, much has changed."

"Oh, he's just having a bad day. He get's like this from time to time." Merlin assured her, believing that her decision was based on his current mood.

"He is this way because of me, my being here is not helping. It is better for Arthur if I leave as soon as I can." She told him, trying to keep the tears back that were threatening to fall.

Merlin accepted her explanation and left her alone. She threw herself on her bed and within minutes the pillow was soaked from her tears. She had always wanted to see her best friend again, she had imagined that nothing would have changed and they would both cause as much chaos as they could. They would still understand each other and know everything about each other. That was not how things were, and she couldn't see them ever being that way again.

Her eyes were sore when she opened them, a cold plate of food sitting on the table. She looked out of the window and saw how dark it was outside. Everything was quiet, only the guards patrolling could bee seen. She decided that she needed a little walk, she had so many thought going through her mind that she was starting to get a headache.

She let her feet decide where she was going. As long as she didn't bump into Arthur, she did not mind where she went. It had been oddly quiet in his room, she imagined that he was already sound asleep, much like the rest of the castle was.

She only stopped when she realised that her feet had taken her towards the dungeons. She looked to see the guards sleeping, and that struck her as odd straight away. She heard footsteps echoing towards her and she ducked out of sight. A metal gate opened and she spotted Merlin walking out of what she believed to be a stone tunnel. Her parents had told her stories, and now she was starting to wonder if they were all true.

Once Merlin had passed she grabbed a torch and made her way down the tunnel in which Merlin had just came. She stopped when she came to an enormous cavern, the cavern her parents had told her about. She put the torch in the holder and set herself down on the cold stone ground. If the stories were true, then she knew what would happen next.

A few minutes passed and there was nothing but the sound of her own breathing. Lillian was calm, and not at all frightened when she heard the loud flapping of wings. She slowly looked up when she heard the breathing of a rather large creature and let a smile creep onto her face.

"I've heard stories about the Great Dragon. Now I finally get to meet you, Kilgharrah." Lillian said softly. She was not afraid of the giant beast perched some way in front of her.

"I've heard prophecies of the Lady Lillian, Princess of Rolana. And now, we finally meet." The dragon said. It looked like he was also smiling.

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**A/N: Oh, what do you think the dragon is going to say to her? And is she likely to forgive Arthur any time soon? She's only awake for a day and they have already fallen out, that can't be good, can it?**

**So thank you all for reading (especially if you are reading this), I hope you enjoyed it. Again, sorry for any spelling and grammatical errors. Let me know what you think, and if you have any idea of what might just be happening later. **

**Pippa.**


	3. The Gates of Avalon Pt1

**A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews, they really do mean a lot to me. I thought I would upload this chapter now, because something is telling me that where the last chapter finished was not completely fair (grapejuice101). Well, ****enjoy please review if you can.**

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Lillian stayed sitting before the dragon. She was not afraid of him, she had no reason to be afraid. She knew there had been a reason why her body had taken her there, she assumed he was the reason.

"And what do those prophecies say of me?" She looked the dragon right in the eyes as she spoke.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion." Lillian let out a little laugh.

"Now, if you had told me that this morning, or maybe several years ago, I may have believed you. But after today I feel inclined to disagree." She told Kilgharrah.

He let out a laugh that echoed through the cave. "You changed him once, you will do so again."

"Arthur's arrogance is not mine to change. It is his and his alone. He decides what kind of man to be, what kind of king he wishes to be. I play no part in it." She had been told that the dragon was also very cryptic, but she found it easy to see through him.

"Two half's make a whole, as there are two sides of a coin. Arthur is one half, and one side. Where do you believe you fit?" _Yes, he was being very cryptic, _Lillian thought.

"This would require a third person, and if that third person is the one who is trying to hide and listen in, then I know exactly where this prophecy believes me to fit." Lillian had known that she had been followed, and she knew exactly who that person had been as well.

Kilgharrah laughed loudly again. "There is no sense in hiding, young warlock. You have been caught out."

Merlin stepped out of the shadows and into full view of the dragon, while Lillian did not even bother to turn around. "You need to work on you stealth, Merlin." She said, keeping her gaze on Kilgharrah.

"But… how did you know it was me?" He was surprised that Lillian had been so calm talking to the dragon, but even more surprised when she announced that she knew it was him.

"Magic." She said, jokingly. Merlin didn't know whether to take her seriously or not. "One half and one side." Lillian mumbled.

"Do you understand what he is talking about?" Merlin asked her with great interest. He had been told that he was one side of the coin, but he had been informed of the half as well.

"Yes, I do. And I will not be that half. That man can rot for all I care, he is not my friend any longer. He is just an arrogant prince." Lillian said firmly. Two half's make a whole, she knew exactly what the dragon was saying.

"Neither of you can run away from destiny." Kilgharrah told them, more for Lillian's sake than Merlin's.

"Really? Watch me." Lillian announced before standing up. "In a few days time I shall be leaving Camelot and returning to Rolana, and the only time I shall return here is if I am dead."

"This is your destiny, young sorceress. Your path lies with the young Pendragon, as does the young warlocks. Together you shall help and bring about Albion and magic shall return to this land." The dragon announced to her.

Lillian let out a sigh, she really was not impressed with the dragon. "No one in their right mind would want to be the other half of Arthur. That includes me. Now, if you shall excuse me, I have arrangements to make." She grabbed her torch and stormed off, not daring to look back.

"You must watch her, young warlock, without her Albion will fall." Kilgharrah warned him before flying up and out of sight.

Merlin was quick on his feet and swiftly caught up with Lillian. "You have magic?" He whispered, hoping that he had finally found someone to share things with.

"Yes, Merlin. I do. And I know you will tell no one of this, just as I will tell no one of you. You were born with it, as was I, it only adds to the reason why I should leave Camelot." She told him as they walked along.

"Who else knows of your powers?" Merlin was desperate to find out as much as he could.

"My parents did, my brother does, Gaius also knows. He has always known, and he has always done his best to look out for me. I assume he knows of yours as well?" Merlin nodded at her.

"Do you still plan on leaving?" That was something that was bothering him, the dragon has insisted that she can not leave, yet she was determined to do so.

"I am, Merlin. So do not think that anything you can say will change my mind." They were back in the castle now, the guards still sleeping. "I shall discuss the matter with the King tomorrow and make my plans."

"But you heard what the dragon said, you can't just leave." Merlin insisted.

Lillian stopped walking and turned to face him, "I shall be leaving. As I have pointed out, Arthur is no longer the person I once knew. He may look like him, but he has changed too much to be the same person." Merlin detected a hint of sadness in her voice.

Once she was back in her room she dressed herself for bed. She had no need of servants, she had always managed on her own before and now was no different. Lillian was regretting ever going to see that dragon, although she understood every word he said, she was refusing the believe them.

Lillian slept very little that night, and so she had washed and dressed herself before Gwen had even arrived at the castle. She had made up her mind. She would speak to Uther, tell him that she felt the need to be with her brother at this time and leave Camelot. She would visit Morgana before she left and inform her that she was welcome to visit Rolana at any time. In her mind she had it all planned. Now she just needed to find the courage to do it.

She took a deep breath and opened the door, she also needed to speak with Gaius. She was about to turn and walk past Arthur's room when she noticed him standing there, staring at her.

"Good morning, sire." She said, bowing her head in respect. Usually she would have been less formal with him, but under the circumstances she had decided it was now inappropriate.

"Good morning, Lady Lillian." Neither of them made eye contact. And before Arthur had a chance to speak another word she was gone, walking the other way. He wanted to go after her but he had his duties to attend to first. Maybe later he would get the chance to talk with her properly.

Once she was out of sight of Arthur she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. She had been worried that he might follow her to speak with her, but she had been lucky this time. Her luck would run out sometime, so she needed to get a move on and do what needed doing.

Lillian soon found herself sitting down with Gaius and Merlin. As soon as Merlin could, he had told Gaius about her plans to leave. The warlock was desperate for her to stay, having someone else around who had magic meant a lot to him. He knew he could always talk to Gaius, but Lillian was different.

The problem for Merlin was that Gaius could clearly understand why she wanted to leave so badly. "Arthur would not dare to throw me in the dungeons now, Uther would in no way allow it. We have been allies for too long and no doubt it would anger my brother enough to break all ties with Camelot." Lillian explained.

"I agree, even after your falling out, he would still want to protect you." Gaius agreed. There was a small chance that her brother wouldn't care, but it was only small.

"I know you are going to try to stop me, Merlin. But I am asking you now not to. This is something I simple can't deal with now." Lillian had been battling with him the entire time, and poor Gaius was caught in the middle of it all.

Later that day she found herself in the throne room, addressing not only King Uther, but also her once friend, Prince Arthur. "My Lord, I am grateful for your kindness and for granting me safety in Camelot. But I feel that I must return to Rolana and be with my brother at this time. I do not wish my brother to have to suffer the loss of our parents alone." She could not explain how nervous she was. It didn't help that Arthur was there, it just made her feel even worse. She could feel his eyes burning her with anger and hatred.

"We shall be sad to see you leave so soon, Lady Lillian. But it shall be arranged. I shall send word to King Irwin of your decision." Lillian bowed her head, grateful that Uther was allowing her departure. He was taking it a lot better than Arthur was, he seemed lost for words. "I hear that you have move chambers. May I enquire as to the reason?"

Lillian had to think of a quick excuse. She couldn't very well tell the King that it was because his son was now more arrogant and pig headed than before. "I fear that my presence so close to Prince Arthur has been distracting him from his duties. I do not wish to be the cause of this, that is why I requested the move."

Luckily Uther seemed to accept this as a valid reason and let her leave. She was glad to be out of there and away from the eyes of Arthur. Lillian had no idea how he was going to react to that, she didn't want to find out. She knew his temper was now worse than ever from the way he treated Merlin.

The next place she found herself was outside of Morgana's chamber. She knocked gently on the door and heard a female voice calling for her to enter. When she was inside she saw Morgana for the first time since arriving to Camelot. She had turned into a very beautiful woman, there was no denying that.

"Lady Lillian." Morgana exclaimed when she saw her. "I'm so glad you could finally find time to fit me into your busy schedule." Morgana mocked playfully.

"I'm afraid the hit to the head seemed to keep me sleeping for several days. Since then, a mutual annoyance to us both has kept me busy." Lillian knew that Morgana would be quick to catch on to who she was talking about.

"Some things never change do they?" Morgana asked, pulling Lillian in for a hug. "Although, it is fair to say that you have changed slightly in appearance. I see I shall have trouble gaining the attention of the men with you as my rival."

Lillian let out a small laugh. "I could say the same about you, Lady Morgana. But do not fear, I am not her to steal away your men and I shall not be here for much longer."

The smile that was on Morgana's face instantly fell. "Why ever not?"

Lillian sighed, this was the first time she had seen Morgana, and now she had to tell her she was planning on leaving. "Under the circumstances, I shall be returning to Rolana. I cannot let my brother deal with the death of our parents alone. He is the King, he shall be in need of my support more now than ever."

"I am so sorry about your parents, Lillian." She said, squeezing her friend's hand. Morgana had also lost both of her parents, so she knew what it was like, although she had, of course, been much younger when it had happened.

"Thank you, Morgana. I am sorry that I could not stay longer. But while I am here, I do believe that my chamber is now rather close to yours. And since we both feel the same way about Camelot's beloved Prince, I have a feeling we shall be inseparable."

Now it was Morgana's turn to laugh. "I'm sure that will annoy Arthur."

The women both sat down together and began talking. Lillian filled her in on what had happened to her, why she had left and where she had been living. "And what about you, Morgana? I hear that you suffer from terrible nightmares." Lillian knew she had to be delicate with the matter.

Morgana shifted uncomfortable in her seat. "Yes."

"I am here if you want to tell me about them. And as I have said, you are always welcome to Rolana. In fact, I insist that you come and visit. Just make sure that your party does not consist of a certain prince." That brought a smile back to Morgana's face.

There was a knocking at the door. "Who is it?" Morgana called, recognising the knock just as Lillian did.

"It's Arthur. Have you seen Lady Lillian? I have not seen her for the best part of the day. There are matters I need to discuss with her." He called through the door.

Lillian gave Morgana a pleading look. She was avoiding the prince, and Morgana knew that. "I have not seen her since she stopped by some hours ago. Now, would you kindly leave me in peace." Morgana called back to him.

They heard the prince sigh outside of the door before his footsteps became fainter. "Thank you, Morgana. I have no desire to face that man before I leave here."

Morgana knew how close the pair used to be, and she did seem very surprised by the way she was now avoiding him. "Why are you going to such extremes to avoid Arthur?" She asked Lillian softly.

At first she didn't know how to answer, there were many reasons for her attitude towards him, but which one would be the most acceptable was harder to decide. "Because he has changed, Morgana. I look at him now and find it hard to believe that we were ever friends."

Morgana noticed the sad looking in her eyes. Something told her that what she had said was true, even though her friend did not want to believe it. Morgana decided to change the topic of conversation and they ended up taking about the nobles and knights. They were discussing the strengths of the different knights when there was another knock at the door.

"Sorry to disturb you, My Ladies." Gwen said before turning to Lillian. "Prince Arthur wishes to see you, Lady Lillian. He has been searching for you all day."

Lillian let out a sigh, he could be very persistent when he want to be. "Please inform the Prince that I have retired to my chamber for the night."

Lillian did not like the look on Gwen's face. "I'm afraid he is waiting for you in your chamber."

"Thank you, Gwen." Lillian said, getting up from her chair. "I shall see you in the morning, Morgana. I hope you sleep well, and if you do not, you know where to find me."

Lillian followed Gwen out of the room and to her chamber, which was only a short distance away from Morgana's. She entered the room with the frown on her face. "You wished to see me, My Lord?" She inquired, seeing that Merlin had been keeping him company.

Merlin took this as his cue to leave. As soon as he was gone, Arthur was stood in front of Lillian. "Why have you been avoiding me all day, Lillian?" He asked her curiously.

"I have merely been catching up with people, My Lord. I was not intentionally avoiding you." _Actually, no, I was doing my very best not to have to see you, clotpole._ She thought to herself.

"What has suddenly made you decided to leave Camelot and return to Rolana?"

_Did you not hear me earlier? My parents are dead, I'm going to support my brother at this time. And get as far away from you as possible._ "My brother shall need me at this terrible time. I cannot leave him to face this alone."

"And the changing of rooms?" He asked, clearly far from impressed with what had happened today.

"I believe you were there when I told your father, sire. I did not want to distract you from your duties to Camelot."

His frowned deepened. "And what made you come to the conclusion that you were distracting me from my duties?"

Lillian had taken all she could from the man now. "Sire, if you will please excuse me. It is late and I would like to retire to my bed now." She told him as politely as she could. Really, all she wanted to do was to shout and yell at him and tell him to leave her alone. But she knew that would not improve the situation.

"You are avoiding my question, Lillian." He was starting to lose his patience with her now.

"Please, sire. All I wish to do is to get some rest." Something was telling Lillian that he was not going to leave so easily.

"Answer my question then I shall you leave." His voice was rising now, Lillian knew the best thing she could do now.

"If you shall not leave, sire, then I will." Lucky for her she had been stood closer to the door than Arthur. It was easy for her to make her escape out of the door and down towards Morgana's room.

She didn't even bother to knock, she quickly opened the door and closed it behind her, locking it before looking at a stunned Morgana. "I am sorry to impose on you, Morgana."

"Lillian, what ever is the matter?" Morgana asked in concern for her friend.

Lillian didn't have the chance to answer, someone began hammering hard on the door. "Morgana, open the door this instant." He bellowed.

"No, Arthur, I will not. Stop being a brute and leave Lillian alone." Morgana ordered.

"I only want to speak with her, Morgana."

"And it is clear that she does not want to speak with you. Now, I suggest that you leave right this instance." Even she was starting to lose her patience with the prince now.

The women both listened as they heard the prince growling in frustration outside of the door before storming off. Lillian was sitting over by the window, gazing out over the courtyard. The prince's mood had been deteriorating for the best part of the day, and now she feels she has only made it worse.

"Lillian, what happened?" Morgana asked as she slowly approached her friend.

It took effort for Lillian not to let the tears that were building fall, but so far she was managing it. "It would seem that Arthur is unhappy over my wanting to leave and my changing rooms." She said, still looking out of the window. "I will bring forward my plans to leave. Hopefully Uther will grant me the use of a horse and escort first thing in the morning." She told her, finally looking at her.

"Is that wise? I'm sure Arthur will calm down."

"I cannot stay here a moment longer, Morgana. The sooner I am away from him, the better." Morgana pulled her friend up and forced a hug upon her. In all honesty, she did not want her to leave, but the events had just proven how dire things were for Lillian.

Lillian awoke to find herself lying on the bed of Lady Morgana, the Lady herself still sleeping next to her. She recalled what had happened the previous night and how Morgana had been the one to comfort her.

She placed herself by the window again and watched as Arthur strode out towards his horse that was waiting for him. Merlin trailed behind, struggling with all the things he had been ordered to carry. Arthur seemed much more snappy this morning as well, looking for any chance to vent his anger and frustration.

Arthur looked up at the window, Lillian knew that he was staring straight at her. She didn't look away from him, she held his gaze, determined not to let her emotions show through. He only looked away to shout at Merlin again as he dropped something else.

Lillian stayed there and watched the party leave the city. Arthur was out on a hunt for the day, which meant that she could wander the castle freely without fear of walking into him. That was something she was very grateful for.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there for, staring into nothing, but her thoughts were disturbed when she heard Morgana softly calling Arthur's name. Lillian frowned and walked over to the bed just as Morgana gasped and woke up.

"Morgana, are you alright?" The woman just nodded at her, to scared to speak. She was shaking all over. "Did you have another nightmare?" Morgana nodded at her again. "Then tell me about it. You know I will not judge, before you awoke, you were calling Arthur's name." Lillian told her.

"Arthur was drowning, and there was this woman… standing over him. She watched him drown. She watched Arthur die." Morgana told her. It did very little to calm the woman down, but Lillian was glad that she had trusted her enough to tell her.

"It was only a dream, Morgana. I saw him some time ago, alive and well, going out for a hunt." Lillian assured her. "Come, the prince is away, so the ladies shall play." She said, making Morgana finally smiled at her.

They spent much of the day wandering the castle and enjoying each other's company. Morgana was enjoying the company of another woman in the castle, she only wished that it could last longer.

"And it turned out that knight Valliant really was cheating by using an enchanted shield." Morgana told her as they rounded the corner.

"If you need anything, just let me know." Merlin said to a woman that neither Morgana nor Lillian had ever seem before.

"Thank you." The woman replied, before stepping into the room that only days ago had been Lillian's.

"Who is that?" Morgana asked Merlin as the pair approached him.

"Er… Sophia Tír-Mòr. We rescued her in the woods. Well, Arthur did most of the rescuing." Merlin told them, feeling a little nervous. Arthur had insisted that the woman stay in the chamber next to his own. Merlin had protested it, but Arthur had reminded him of his place.

"She can't stay here." Morgana exclaimed. Lillian instantly knew that something was wrong.

"The King said that she and her father are welcome in Camelot." Merlin seemed to notice the look of distress on Morgana's face. "Is everything okay?" He asked her.

"Yes. Thank you." Morgana said before walking away.

"Merlin, wait here for a moment. I need to speak with Morgana a second, then I need to speak with you." Merlin nodded at her and she quickly chased after Morgana. "Morgana, tell me, what is wrong. And do not tell me everything is okay because clearly it is not." Lillian insisted.

"It was her, the woman from my dream, the one who watches Arthur die. How can she be in Camelot?" Morgana was distraught.

"Go see Gaius. Explain what has happened to him. He has more knowledge in this area than I do." Lillian told her. Morgana nodded and left, leaving Lillian to go back and speak with Merlin.

She rushed back to find him still standing in the exact same spot she had left him. "Merlin, when I said wait here, I didn't mean on that exact spot." She told him, making him grin at her. "There is something I need to tell you, and it is rather urgent." She started making her way back to her chamber, Merlin following behind her.

"How was Arthur on the hunt today? I saw his foul mood this morning." She asked, hoping that Merlin had not had to deal with his bad mood too much.

"He seemed to perk up the moment he laid eyes on Sophia. Which is odd, considering he had been complaining about a certain Lady Lillian all day." That was something else that struck Lillian as odd. The dream Morgana had was the first, and now this. Plus there was something about Sophia that Lillian didn't seem to trust.

"Well, last night Prince Arthur was a complete… clotpole. I ended up spending the night in Morgana's chamber. Which brings us to the reason we need to talk." They had reached her chamber now and Lillian was quick to get them both inside.

"You seem worried, why are you worried?" Merlin asked her as she started pulling at the sleeves of her dress.

"Last night, Morgana had a dream that there was a woman standing over Arthur as he drowned. She recognised Sophia as that woman." Merlin looked at her with wide eyes, unable to believe what he was hearing. "I believe that Morgana is a seer, but I am sure that she doesn't know it."

"So, you think what she saw is true? You think Sophia plans to kill Arthur?" Merlin asked her. He was struggling to get his head around it.

"I wouldn't put it past her. There is something about her I just don't trust. No matter how much of an arrogant prat Arthur is, I would never let anyone try to hurt him." Lillian told him before she really thought. Merlin was as surprised by her words as she was.

"Seems like your starting to accept this destiny thing we're both caught up in." Merlin had a slight smile on his face, hoping that it was true.

"Please, just because I don't want to see him dead does not mean I want to marry the oaf." She snorted, causing Merlin to laugh. "Watch them carefully, Merlin. Her father as well. I doubt she will be acting alone. It is possible the whole rescue had been planned."

"Do you really think that is possible?"

"I wouldn't put it past anyone. Arthur always did like a damsel in distress." That set Merlin off laughing again. "Merlin, do you trust me?" The seriousness of her tone ceased his laughing immediately.

"Well, I've only know you for a short time, but yes. I do trust you." Lillian could see the honesty in the warlock's eyes.

"Okay, then I want you to close your eyes and focus on my voice." Merlin nodded at her before tightly closing his eyes. _I really hope this works._ She thought to herself.

"_Merlin? Merlin, can you hear me?"_ There was no reply. _"Merlin, I need you to polish my armour, clean my boots, repair my chainmail, sharpen my sword and muck out the stables. And once you have done that…"_ She watched at his eyes flew open, they were wide and she could see he was shocked by what she had just done.

"How did you do that?"

Lillian shrugged. "I just concentrated on finding your mind and started ordering you around like Arthur does. Now you try it." She closed her eyes and waited for Merlin to reach out and find her mind.

"_He is a complete clotpole. Not to mention arrogant. Rude would be another way to describe him. Why I keep saving his life I will never know. The first time I done it, I ended up being rewarded the job of his manservant."_ Lillian started to giggle. Merlin was focusing on talking about Arthur as well.

"That was just weird." Merlin admitted when she opened her eyes again.

"It will take some time to get used to it, I admit. But if we are in this so called destiny together, it's better we have a way to communicate and keep check on our dear prince." What she had said made sense to Merlin. Keeping Arthur out of trouble had never been an easy task, but now with Lillian there as well, it may just be that little bit easier.

"You really are accepting it, aren't you?"

"Of course not. Like I told you, I have no intentions of becoming the poor wife of that oaf." Even if the prophecy declared that, she was never going to marry that arrogant pig, as she liked to call him.

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**A/N: Woohoo! And the story has truly started. Did you see what I did there? What? No look again, of course you saw it. You're all so brilliant, and I may be a little hyper as I am writing this. **

**So, as I may have mentioned before, please review if you can. I like to know what people think of my writing and stories (and possibly how ashamed I should be of all my spelling and grammatical errors). Let me know what you think. **

**Pippa.**


	4. The Gates of Avalon Pt2

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews and follows/favourites. You guys really are awesome. Keep those reviews coming.**

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Lillian kept to her chambers once she knew that Arthur was back. She was still determined to keep out of his way, although she had to admit, she had enjoyed her day with Morgana. Merlin was able to keep her informed of what Arthur was up to, and what was going on with Sophia.

"_Lillian? Are you still awake?"_

She let out a sigh. _"Yes, Merlin, I am. Although I am prepared to sleep. Did you want something?" _

"_I just wanted to make sure that you were alright."_

"_I am perfectly fine, Merlin. Apart from this irritating warlock who is stopping me from sleeping"_ She joked. She didn't mind that he had contacted her, the more they done it, the more at ease they felt with each other for it. It also seemed that the bond was becoming stronger, it seemed to take less effort to find each other than the first time they had done it.

"_Okay, sorry. I will leave you to sleep now. Good night, Lillian."_

"_Good night, Merlin. I shall speak with you in the morning. I expect that is when the trouble will start."_ She heard him mental groan and couldn't help but smile. With this new development, she had not asked Uther to allow her to leave sooner. She knew that the dragon was right, no matter how much she disliked it. She was going to help Merlin to protect Arthur.

"_Lillian? Lillian, wake up!" _She groaned as she heard Merlin shouting in her head.

"_It's too early, Merlin. Go away."_ She moaned at him, annoyed that he had woken her up.

"_It's Arthur."_ That woke her up immediately. _"He has gone out for a ride with Sophia. He says he wants to show her around. I have to cover for him with the King."_ Lillian rushed to her window and looked to see Arthur riding out of Camelot with Sophia.

"_I don't like this, Merlin. It's a trap, it has to be. I do not trust her. I'm going to go and check on Morgana, see how she is doing today."_ Lillian quickly got herself ready and rushed to Morgana's chamber.

Gwen opened the door and smile when she saw her. "I hope I am not disturbing. I wanted to check how Lady Morgana is today." Gwen stepped aside and let her in. She saw Morgana standing by the window, clearly she had just watched Arthur leave as well.

Lillian frowned. "Morgana, did you have another dream?" She nodded at her. "Was it the same as before?"

"You know about the dreams?" Gwen asked in shock. Morgana had told her about the dream regarding Sophia. Lillian nodded at her. "You're sure it's her?" Gwen asked Morgana.

"I could never forget that face." Morgana insisted. Lillian could see how scared she was, there was no way she was making any of this up.

"You should speak to the King." Gwen suggested. Even Lillian knew that was a bad idea, and was quick to explain it. Uther would accuse her of using magic, it was more than her life was worth.

"Morgana, stay calm. I will not let anything happen to Arthur, do you understand? She will not get a chance to kill him, not while I'm around." Lillian was doing her best to comfort her, reassure her that everything would be fine in the end.

She spent best part of the morning with Morgana, repeating that she would not let anything happen to Arthur. Morgana even accused her of having feelings for him, which she was all too quick to dismiss. Just because she no longer got along with the prince, it did not mean that she had stopped caring completely.

"_Well, that could have gone better."_ Merlin told her some time later.

"_Should I collect the rotten fruit from the kitchen and come join in the fun?" _Lillian asked, knowing that he would have been put in the stocks for this 'misunderstanding' that led to Arthur not turning up for patrol duty.

"_And here I was, thinking you were different from all the others."_ He joked.

"_We both know just how different I am, Merlin. I will see you later. Preferably when you are not covered in rotting fruits."_ She had to hold in her laughter, she was going to make sure that she was there when he returned so that she could laugh at him in person.

A few hours later she made her way to Gaius, he was rather surprised to see her there but pleased all the same. "What brings you here, Lillian?" He asked, inviting her to sit down.

"Morgana had the same dream again." She watched his face, he did not seem as shocked as she would have thought. "I see you have come to the same conclusion as I have."

"I believe you may be right. How did you work it out?" He asked her curiously.

"I just seemed to sense it around her. I have told her myself that they are only dreams and not to dwell on them, but she is still worrying." Lillian told him, knowing that his concern was growing for Lady Morgana as well.

There discussion was interrupted when Merlin walked in, covered in the remains of the rotting fruit and most noticeable was the tomatoes.

"Have you been playing with your food again?" Gaius asked, looking at the state of the young boy.

Lillian had already started laughing, causing Merlin to frown at her. "The King put me in the stocks."

"What'd you do this time?"

"Nothing. Honestly, it wasn't my fault." Merlin told him as Lillian fixed some water for him to clean himself. "Arthur wanted to get out of going on patrol with Uther and the guards, so I covered for him and took the blame."

Gaius seemed surprised by this revelation. "And Arthur was prepared to let you do this?"

"It was his idea." Merlin told him before he started to wash his face.

Gaius sent Lillian a confused look, he could see that they both knew something that he didn't. "And what made him neglect his duties? It must've been something terribly important. And I can see that it wasn't Lillian, that would just have been normal for Arthur if that were the case."

Lillian tried to ignore the rest of their conversation. Merlin going on about how he thought Arthur was besotted with Sophia and how it must have been love at first sight. Lillian knew Arthur better, there was no way that was the case. For a start, he was terrible when it came to showing affection. If he were besotted with her, he would have tried better to hide it and not admit it to anyone. He was good at denial, yet he seemed to be acting like a lovesick puppy.

None of it seemed to add up, and it was making her head hurt by thinking about it. "I'm going to check on Morgana. I will speak with you later, Merlin" He nodded at her, completely understanding what she was talking about.

It didn't take her long to find Lady Morgana. She seemed very restless. "Morgana, you're making me very nervous." Lillian told her as she started tugging at her sleeves again as they walked.

"I'm sorry. I just do not like that girl. I don't trust her."

Lillian smiled at her. "I know, Morgana. And neither do I. you are not alone on this, remember that."

As they headed for the stairs they walked straight into Sophia. "Sorry. Lady Morgana, isn't it? And Lady Lillian, is that right? I'm Sophia." The woman said cheerfully, holding her hand out.

"What are you doing here?" Lillian knew by Morgana's tone that she was less than happy to have bumped into her.

"My father and I are guests of the King."

"You're lying." Morgana said to the girl. Lillian could feel the tension, and it just made her more uneasy. "I know what you're going to do to him, and we won't let it happen." She tightened her hold on Lillian's arm.

"I certainly will not let anything happen to Arthur." Lillian warned the girl.

"Does Arthur know you feel this way about him?" She asked, her gaze flicking from Morgana to Lillian. "Of course he does. I suspect he's already turned you both down."

"You clearly do not know Arthur as well as you think you do." Lillian said, taking a step closer to the girl. "I know that man better than he knows himself. And I will do anything to protect him."

"Stay away from him." Morgana added, feeling a little more confident now. She seemed to have found strength from Lillian.

"Or what?" Sophia sneered.

"If anything happens to Arthur, I will find you. However long it takes." Lillian said in a very low and intimidating voice. For a moment, Sophia looked frightened of her, but then her expression quickly changed and she smiled before hurrying off up the stairs.

Lillian let out a sigh. "I think it's time that someone had a word with Arthur."

"I'll do it." Morgana suggested. "I know you and he are not exactly on good terms at the moment. Let me do it."

Reluctantly, Lillian agreed to let Morgana talk to Arthur. There were going to meet later to discuss what happened. She was actually started to feel a little guilt for the way she had treated him and her refusal to talk to him. And now his life was in danger, not that he knew it.

It did not take long for Morgana to find Lillian wait for her in her chamber. "That man is intolerable. All he did was poke fun at me and laugh." Morgana was now in a slightly bad mood because of her talk with the prince. "He accused me of having feels for him. How could anyone in their right mind have feelings for that man?"

Lillian thought for a second, those words sounded vaguely familiar to her. It took her a few minutes to actually recall what she had said. She had said something so similar to the Great Dragon when he had told her about her destiny with Arthur. Now she was even more sure that the guests of the King were up to something.

"He thinks that the world is in love with him and that all women should be falling at his feet. He can't see himself for what he really is, he only see's what he wants to see." Lillian paused to think about the prince for a moment. He always thought he was above everyone else, and he made sure to keep everyone else at their level.

"Well, I know two women who will never fall for that mans non existent charms." Morgana said, smiling at Lillian.

"We are the only smart women in the whole of Camelot it would appear. Although, Gwen does not seem to have fallen for his charm either." It wasn't until Lillian has said that out loud that she really thought about her words. Her mind was just becoming more and more confusing now.

"Are you alright, Lillian?" Morgana called, noticing the strange look on her friends face.

Lillian turned and smiled at her. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired. Too much worrying over the arrogant prince." Morgana chuckled at her, all she ever seemed to call him was an arrogant prince. But she couldn't deny the fact that it was true. "I think I shall head to my room now, some sleep would be a blessing right now."

Once she was in her room, she started racking through her brain, trying to think of who that woman could really be. She had no idea what she was even looking for, all she knew is that she did not trust her one bit, and she sensed magic come from both her and her father.

She let out a sigh. _"Merlin?"_

"_Is everything alright, Lillian?"_ Even in her mind she could her the concern in Merlin's voice. Lillian had a lot of respect for him, after all, he did have to put up with Arthur every day and constantly save his life.

"_I'm still worried about all this with Arthur and Sophia. I know him, he doesn't just fall in love at the drop of a hat. He doesn't fall in love at all."_ It just wasn't possible for Arthur to be like that, he was a warrior and they did not act like that.

"_Maybe that's something about him that has changed since you left?"_ Merlin suggested.

"_I wish that were true, Merlin, but I know it isn't. Just let me know if anything else happens. I'm counting on you to keep check on him. I very much doubt he even remembers that I am in the castle now,"_ There was a break in her voice as she finished her sentence. Since Sophia and her father had arrived, Arthur had not even tried to speak with her, but maybe that was her own fault.

Was it possible that this was Arthur's way of trying to hurt her? _No. Why would he even be trying to hurt me? Because I want to go home?_ She thought. Lillian decided she was not going to think on it any longer and decided that it would be better for her to think things through in the morning, when she had a clear head.

Unfortunately, all she could see when she closed her eyes was Arthur and Sophia, together. What made it even more disturbing was that they were getting married. She didn't object to Arthur deciding to get married, more that he was getting married to her. She knew she didn't have the gift of prophecy, it was merely her imagination getting the better of her because she was worrying.

Come the morning, Lillian was not looking too great. She had hardly slept again and had barely been eating since that woman arrived. She knew she wasn't helping herself, but there was too much going on.

"_He's skipping duties again to go out with Sophia. This time he is missing the knighting ceremony and wants me to cover. I'm going to end up in the stocks again."_ Merlin whined like a little child.

"_If it's any consolation, I've hardly slept. I shall be heading to speak with Gaius soon. I won't let on to him where you are."_ Lillian told him. She had to tell Gaius what she thought was going on now, it was getting too dangerous. Something could happen to Arthur and there was no way she was going to let it happen.

"_Is everything alright?"_ There was concern for her in his tone. As the days passed, their bond seemed to grow stronger. The sense of knowing how the other was feeling what started to break through, soon enough they wouldn't be able to hide how they were feeling.

"_I'm sure it's nothing. That is why I plan on speaking with Gaius. If you see him, let him know, please."_

Merlin went off to inform the King as to why Arthur was missing, and as predicted, he ended up in the stocks again. Lillian chuckled softly to herself as she made her way to see Gaius. Merlin was complaining about the pelting he was receiving. It would appear that they were not only throwing rotten fruit at him, but also someone was joining in with potatoes.

Lillian left her room and started her walk through the castle to Gaius. She couldn't stop her brain from working overtime, trying to work everything out. She was about to speak with Merlin when she noticed a familiar figure standing before her.

"Good day, sire." Lillian said, curtseying to the King in front of her.

"Lady Lillian. I trust you are well? I have not seen you around the castle much." Uther enquired. She didn't really feel like telling him that she was sick of his son and came up with a better excuse.

"I have been keeping company with the Lady Morgana. She has some interesting stories to tell about Prince Arthur." She told him, being completely truthful.

Uther smiled at her. "I am glad that you are getting along. Although, I must say that I am surprised that I have not seen you around with Arthur much. Have you had a falling out?"

Lillian tugged at the sleeves of her dress. "I can confirm that we are not on the best of terms at the moment. I believe he is still upset with my request to return to Rolana."

"Then I shall speak with my son. He should understand the importance of duty, and your duty as Princess."

Lillian smiled at the King. Her whole life he had always been kind to her, but she knew all that would change if her ever found out that she possessed magic. "Thank you, sire."

"Why don't you join us in the council chambers one day? I am sure Morgana would be pleased of the company. I know she can sometimes find it rather boring. And I expect your bother will have you sitting through many meetings once you have returned home."

Lillian was shock to say the least, but she did not show that. "I would enjoy that very much, thank you, sire. I bid you good day, I am on my way to speak with Gaius for Lady Morgana. She is still not sleeping very well and I offered to speak with him for her."

"That was very kind of you. You have a good heart, Lady Lillian, Rolana is lucky to have you as their Princess." She could tell from the look in Uther's eyes that he was being sincere with her.

"Thank you, sire." She curtly nodded at him before they went their separate ways. Once she was out of sight of Uther she picked up the pace, knowing that her warlock friend would soon be out of the stocks.

By the time she had reached the physician's chambers, Merlin had called the prince some very unpleasant names. She had to contain her laughter as Gaius opened the door. "Lady Lillian, I seem to be graced with your presence a lot recently."

She smiled at him. "I am making the most of my time left in Camelot, spending as much time with my friends as I can."

Gaius raised an eyebrow at her. At least that's what she thought he was trying to do. "And does Arthur not fall into this category?"

"Now, Gaius, we both know he is more preoccupied with a certain woman at the moment. And it is that woman I wish to speak with you about." Lillian told him as he offered her a seat.

"I have my own worries about the most recent guests of the King. I fear they are not who they appear to be." There was a worried look on the old man's face, one that Lillian knew meant trouble.

"I agree, Gaius. I can sense the magic around them. I do not trust them at all." She let out a sigh. "Arthur may have changed, but I still know him, and this is very out of character for him. My destiny is to protect Arthur, like Merlin's. I just don't see how I can protect him from that woman."

"You and Merlin share destiny?" Gaius asked in shock. Lillian was sure that Merlin would have told him about it, but apparently she had been wrong.

"Arthur is one half and one side, Merlin is the other side, it would appear that I am to be the other half." Lillian let out a sigh, she was starting to hate this destiny of hers. "How that is even possible I still don't understand."

"So you and Merlin are bound together to protect Arthur?" Gaius asked as Lillian got up from the table and started to prepare a basin of water.

"It seems so." She replied, just as Merlin opened the door to the chamber, again covered in rotten fruit.

"Not again, Merlin, surely?" Gaius seemed to be very disappointed with the young boy.

"You would think that the appeal of pelting the same person with fruit would wear off after a while, but oh, no." Merlin exclaimed as he walked over to where Lillian was standing, just having finished pouring the clean water out for him.

"I heard that Arthur wasn't at the knighting ceremony."

"Yeah, he wanted to make the most of his time left with Sophia." Merlin told him, as Lillian went to sit back down with Gaius.

"So you helped him?"

"I'm his servant, I had to." The warlock replied, starting to wash himself.

"You shouldn't have done that, Merlin. I fear that Sophia may not be all that she seems." Gaius told him as he almost finished washing. The look on Merlin's face was asking Gaius why he thought that. "What do either of you know about seers?"

"More than I should." Lillian mumbled, glancing at Merlin.

"Not much. They're… supposed to be able to see the future, like prophets?" Merlin already knew but he did not want to let on to Gaius that Lillian had already told him about Morgana.

"It is said to be an innate ability. Those who have it are born that way. Some aren't even aware that what they see if the future. It comes to them in their dreams." Gaius said, sitting down at his desk.

Merlin and Lillian exchanged worried looks. "What's this got to do with Sophia?" Merlin asked, trying to play dumb.

"The night before she and Aulfric came to Camelot, Morgana had a dream. Sophia was in it."

"_What did I tell you? Morgana is a seer. We have even more to worry about now. If the king ever found out about her… it looks like she is going to need protecting as well as Arthur."_ Lillian told him, their eyes locked.

"_If Uther found out, she would be sentenced to death."_ Lillian just nodded at him.

"Is there something the pair of you wish to tell me?" Gaius asked, frowning at them both.

They looked at each other sheepishly. "Oh, sorry, Gaius. We were just…" Lillian didn't know what to say.

"You were using your abilities to communicate? Weren't you?" Gaius asked in shock. The pair nodded at him, feeling like they were children being scolded. "If you are able to do that, then your destinies must be entwined. The pair of you have a special bond, something which is very rare."

Lillian frowned at the man, now she was getting confused. "What do you mean, special bond?"

"It means that you will be able to combine your powers to do the most impossible of things. I expect that the bond is still forming, but it will increase your abilities and bring you closer."

Merlin and Lillian looked at each other in shock. "Well, doesn't this just keep getting better." Lillian said sarcastically. "Can we please get back to the matter at hand now? We have established that Morgana is a seer, and yet neither she nor anyone else can ever know." She got up and started pacing the room a little. "The main concern is who or what those people really are."

"What do you mean?" Merlin seemed confused.

"Aulfric caught me in Sophia's room and, in a flash of anger, his eyes changed colour." Gaius told him. Lillian had been filled in on this earlier.

"I know there is something magical about them, but we need to find out what. Merlin, I guess that is going to be down to you." Lillian knew that she would have no chance. She wasn't exactly able to sneak around the castle like he was. "Watch them closely."

"I agree with Lillian, Merlin. It is up to you to find out what they are up to. It is too risky for her." Gaius could see how much she was worried about Arthur. "Lillian, I suggest you go and get some rest. Something tells me that Morgana is not the only one who is having trouble sleeping these days."

"You're right, Gaius." She said, letting out a sigh. "Merlin, make sure you keep me informed on everything that happens. Something tells me we do not have much time."

She soon made her way back to her chamber and readied herself for bed. All she could do was hope that Merlin was able to work things out and that Morgana's dream did not come to pass. She walked over to the window and saw Aulfric leaving the castle, and noticed a figure keeping to the shadows behind him.

She let out a sigh. _"Stealth, Merlin. Keep to the shadows."_

"_Lillian, you're still awake?"_ Merlin asked her in surprise.

"_Clearly. You're following him, you need to be careful. We don't know how powerful he is, and I want you back in one piece."_ She told him sternly. _"Something tells me I shall not be sleeping peacefully tonight."_

"_Are you at least going to try?"_

"_Not until I know you are safely back in Camelot. I don't particularly feel like coming out to save you, but I may have to if you don't work on your stealth."_ There was irritation in her voice. She was tired, worried and wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and wake up to find that everything is fine. But she knew that was not going to happen.

Much to her surprise, Merlin did manage to follow Aulfric and remain unnoticed. What had her so worried this morning was what he had seen at the lake he had followed him to. Sophia and her father were going to sacrifice Arthur to the Sidhe for immortality. After finding all that out, she knew there was no way she was going to allow herself to sleep.

Lillian was in the physician's chambers at the crack of dawn. Gaius was still sleeping soundly when she arrived so she busied herself doing several of the chores that had been reserved for Merlin. She didn't use magic, like Merlin usually would have. She had been hiding it for so long that she struggled to remember the last time she had actually used it.

Once both Merlin and Gaius were awake, Merlin jumped straight into his tale of what happened when he followed Aulfric.

"Avalon. What you saw at the lake, it's Avalon. It must be…" Gaius concluded. Both Lillian and Merlin looked at the man in confusion. "The land of eternal youth. Mortals are only supposed to glimpse it the moment before death."

"Well, I've seen it and I'm still here." Merlin gloated. He was lucky, if Aulfric had seen him then he wouldn't still be here.

"Extraordinary. What did it look like?" The physician was fascinated by the place it would seem. More fascinated by that, that he lost focus of the main reason they were all gathered.

"Does it matter?" Lillian snapped, "They're going to sacrifice Arthur and we don't even know who 'they' are yet." Merlin took a step back from her while Gaius just looked on at her with wide eyes.

Gaius shifted nervously and went over to his desk. "I found writing like this on the top of Aulfric's staff. It's Ogham, an ancient script. Abas ocus bithe. Duthectad bithland." Gaius said, reading from the book on his desk.

Lillian let out a sigh. "To hold life and death in your hands. We're dealing with the Sidhe, aren't we Gaius?"

Gaius and Merlin looked at her in amazement. "You understand Ogham?" Lillian nodded at him. "What's more impressive is that you could translate it."

"Don't remind me." She grumbled. It was something she had always been able to do. Any language, any script, she could always understand it. "Anyway, the Sidhe are masters of enchantment."

"You think Arthur's been enchanted?" Merlin asked, looking back at Gaius.

"Almost certainly. I'm afraid Morgana's dream is coming true." The old man confirmed.

That just put Lillian more on edge. She needed to find a way to speak with Arthur, get him to see sense and keep him away from that poisonous woman. Even if it meant she had to knock him out, she would do it, as long as it kept him safe. She paused to reflect on her thoughts, no matter what had happened, she could never hate Arthur. Of course he had changed, he had grown up, but it didn't mean that deep down they were still friends.

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**A/N: Okay, hit me with it. Tell me what you guy think. I'm currently trying to rewrite a few chapters I have ready to post because there is something wrong with them, I just can't work out what. But you will see the third and final part of The Gates of Avalon first.**

**As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, faviourting and following of course. It's nice to see my Doctor Who readers like this as well.**

**Pippa.**


	5. The Gates of Avalon Pt3

**A/N: Thank you kind people, for all the wonderful reviews and everything else. I love you all. **

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Lillian sat next to Morgana in the council chamber. Uther had been listening to different people speak about what had been happening within the kingdom. He also had many documents to read through. Morgana was extremely happy for the company, she was too used to fulfilling the role alone and some times found it to be boring. But she felt much better with her friend by her side.

Everything seemed to be going well until the point where Arthur was announced and entered the room with Aulfric and Sophia slightly behind him.

"I requested this audience, father, to discuss a matter of great importance." Arthur began.

"_Merlin, where the hell are you? Get in here now!"_ Lillian shouted at him. Only a moment later he suddenly slipped in and wandered around the sides.

"It cannot have escaped your attention that I and Lady Sophia Tír-Mòr have grown very close." Arthur stated, looking back at the woman in question.

"Not too close, I hope." Uther said, barely glancing up from his documents.

"We're in love." That caught Uther's attention and he immediately looked at Lillian and then Morgana. Lillian had a hard, cold expression on her face, which the King noticed. "Which is why I come before you today to ask your permission to marry."

"_I am going to tear that woman apart."_ Lillian hissed to Merlin.

"_Are you jealous?" _He asked her out of curiosity before he could stop himself.

She glared over at where he was standing. _"No I am most certainly not. But the Arthur we know would never marry someone he had only just met. Merlin, he wouldn't want to marry at all, he just isn't the kind."_

"I assume you're joking." Uther asked after getting over the initial shock and laughing at his son.

"No. I'm going to marry her." Arthur insisted.

"But you only met two days ago." There was that hint of concern in the King's voice now. He had noticed that something wasn't quite right with his son.

"We're in love."

"In love? We had no idea that you were such a romantic, had we, Morgana?" The King asked, looking at her.

"No. He's full of surprises." Morgana was trying to keep calm, but she knew something was very wrong with the Prince.

"And how about you, Lady Lillian? You know my son inside out, has he ever struck you as such a romantic?"

Lillian turned to the King. "No, My Lord. This is as much a surprise to me as it is to you. I never quite imagined him to be that type."

"I'm going to marry her. I don't care what any of you think about it." Arthur announced as Lillian threw a deadly glare at Sophia. She was far from impressed with what that woman had done to him.

"I thought you'd come to ask my permission?"

"Out of courtesy, nothing more." Arthur said before turning away from his father and taking Sophia's hand, walking towards the door to leave.

The anger in Uther was rising. He immediately had the guards stop them from leaving. "You've forgotten whose court you're standing in." Uther told him son, standing before him.

"You won't stop me. If I want to marry her, I will."

Uther wasted no time in have the guards restrain Aulfric and Sophia and have them arrested before announcing that the executioner shall be required in the morning.

"You can't do this." Arthur protested.

"Yes, I can." His father bellowed, his voice echoing around the court. "And unless you show me some respect, I will." Arthur showed his respect by bowing his head, acting ashamed of his actions. "Release them. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Sophia is no doubt your first love, but she certainly won't be the only one. Enjoy yourself while you can." The King told him before sitting back down.

Lillian watched as Arthur left, shortly followed by Aulfric and his daughter. She was angry with Arthur, even though she knew none of this was his fault, she just could help feeling that way.

"_Lillian, are you okay?"_ Merlin could sense that something was wrong.

"_I'll be fine, Merlin. We need to talk with Arthur. We have to stop this now. Something tells me that she won't give him up so easily, and Arthur is stubborn, it wouldn't be the first time he done something against his father's orders."_ Merlin agreed with her and snuck back out to inform Gaius of what had just happened.

"Lady Lillian, I do hope you are alright. You seem to have gone very pale." The King was looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"I must admit I have not been feeling too well the past day or so, My Lord." She tried to avoid eye contact with him, and began tugging at her sleeves.

Uther didn't seem to accept her answer as much as she had hoped he would. "I do hope my son has not been the cause of this."

"Of course not, sire." The King seemed to leave it at that and the proceedings continued.

Lillian was very relieved when they were over and immediately went off to find Merlin. They knew what they had to do, they had to talk sense to Arthur. That in itself was going to be a great challenge.

"Let me go in first." Merlin said, as they stood outside of Arthur's chambers. "See if I can talk sense to him." Lillian nodded and waited, the door slightly open still. She listened to the conversation but decided to interrupt when he announced that Merlin was nothing more than his servant.

"And what about me, Arthur? Am I not your friend?" She asked, stepping into the room and over to the Prince, who seemed to be packing for a trip.

"Lillian…"

"This isn't you, Arthur. How long have we been friends for? We know each other better than anyone else. The Arthur I knew would never do something like this." Lillian was actually holding back the tears. She didn't know where they were coming from, but she was refusing to let them fall.

"Friends? You have been avoiding me, for days. You are leaving for Rolana as soon as the chance arrives. Have dare you call yourself my friend." Arthur spat at her.

"And how dare you speak to me like that, Arthur Pendragon. I am dealing with the loss of both my parents, and all you have been able to care about is yourself." Arthur stayed silent, knowing what she had said was true. "She's cast a spell on you. You're enchanted. Only a friend would notice that, only a friend would even care about it." Lillian yelled.

"I told you people would try to keep us apart." Sophia said as she entered the room with her father, a smug grin on her face.

"I know. I won't let that happen."

"Arthur, don't listen to her, she is controlling you." Lillian insisted, taking a step closer to the prince.

"We can elope together. Get away from this place, these people." Sophia said sweetly. All Lillian wanted to do was throw the woman and her father against the wall. But that would not solve anything, not with Arthur in the room.

"I saw you." Merlin said, looking at Aulfric before turning back to Arthur. "I followed him. They're planning to sacrifice you."

"You let you servant talk to your guests this way?" Aulfric said in disgust.

"We know what you're going to do, because he followed you to the lake and heard anything." Lillian said before looking Arthur straight in the eyes. "If you won't believe Merlin, then believe me." She pleaded. There was something in his eyes, something that looked like confusion.

"Don't listen to them, Arthur. Let's go. Let's leave tonight." Sophia insisted, Lillian wanted to glare at the woman but she couldn't bring herself to pull her eyes away from Arthurs.

"She's going to kill you." Lillian told him quietly.

"Sophia plans to sacrifice you to buy a life of immortality. If you go with her, you'll die." Merlin added. He could see how upset Lillian was, especially since the bond between them was growing. He could sense her fear and her worry.

"It… it doesn't make sense." Arthur said, looking deep into Lillian's eyes before looking over at Sophia. "We're… we're in love." He seemed so lost, so confused and Lillian just didn't know how to help him.

"They're magical beings. Look at the writing on the staff." Merlin went to grab a hold of the staff, only for Aulfric to frighten him back when his eyes flashed red. "Look at his eyes. Look at him. Do you believe us now? Arthur, do you see?" Unfortunately Arthur wasn't looking.

When Arthur did turn around, his eyes were also red. "I see everything." He spat. Lillian took a step away from the prince. That wasn't the Arthur she knew and cared for.

Merlin made a lunge at Aulfric but was thrown back against the wall when he cast a spell. The power from the staff slammed him so hard that it knocked him unconscious.

"Merlin!" Lillian cried, kneeling down next to him. She turned to look at Aulfric. "You will pay for this. I promise you. You have now hurt two of my friends, there is no forgiveness for that." She could feel the anger burning inside of her and stood back up.

She took a step forward only for Aulfric to cast a spell and send her flying back against the wall as well, also knocking her out. Her body slumped down beside Merlin's as the trio left the room, looking all too pleased with themselves.

Morgana had been worrying all evening. She had not seen Lillian since the council chambers, and it was not like her friend to not visit her and check on her before she retired to her room. She was standing by her window when she noticed Arthur leaving the castle with Sophia and her father.

The first person she looked for was Lillian, she was not in her room, and she could think of nowhere else around the castle that she could be. There was only one other person she could think to speak with now, she had to inform Gaius.

"He's gone! Arthur's gone with her. She's taken him. And Lillian is nowhere to be seen either. What if they have done something to her?" Morgana was panicking now.

"Slow down."

"I know you don't believe me, but I'm so sure it's going to happen. My dream's are going to come true." Morgana's eyes were pleading for him to believe her, to trust her and listen to her.

"I do believe you." He said in a calming voice. His mind was working over time, not only was Merlin missing, but so was Lillian. He feared that something bad must have happened to both of them as the last he knew, they were going to speak with Arthur.

After eventually convincing Morgana not to run off and tell the King, reminding her that she would be charged with witchcraft, he made her promise to stay in his chambers while he went in search of someone who could help.

The first place he went was to the Prince's room. The first thing he noticed was Merlin sprawled out with his head against the wall. "Merlin!" He cried. "What happened to you?" He asked as he kneeled down to help him stand.

"Aulfric. Where's Arthur? I have to go after him. What's that buzzing noise?" He asked as he clutched the side of his head.

"Careful, Merlin, you can barely stand up."

"I have to go." Merlin insisted, stumbling a little as he stood up. "Wait, where's Lillian? She was here before they left." His eyes widened in fear.

"Lady Morgana say's she can't find her either. I fear she may have been taken as well as Arthur." Gaius said, hoping that he was wrong.

"_Lillian! Lillian, where are you? Please, tell me that you are safe."_ He cried, hoping that she could hear him.

"Merlin, there is absolutely no need to shout." She said, standing in the doorway and rubbing her head.

"You okay!" He cried, moving forward to hug her, but almost falling on her instead. "What are you wearing?" He asked, looking at the way she was dressed. She was no longer in a dress, she looked like she was dressed in men's clothing.

"Easier to run in and not to be spotted." She put on the cloak that she had been holding and began to tie it up. "I am a princess after all, it simply would not do for me to be running around with a servant in the middle of the night."

"We have to go. He'll die if we don't." Merlin insisted, trying to get out of the hold Gaius had on him.

"The Sidhe are a vicious people. You must be careful." The old physician warned the magical pair.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Merlin said before walking towards the window.

"Merlin, this way." Lillian said, pointing to the door behind her.

"Just testing." He said, before charging out of the door, Lillian closely on his heels.

"_There is no way I would have been able to do all this running through the forest in a dress. Aren't you glad that I went and changed?"_ Lillian said as they carried on moving as fast as they could.

"_I thought they had taken you. I didn't know what had happened. So what did happen?" _Merlin asked as they jumped over a fallen log.

"_Done the same to me as they did to you, only with a little less force against the wall. As soon as I woke up I changed, knowing that we would be chasing them. I just hope we get there in time."_ Lillian was beyond worried now.

They kept running, Lillian could feel her lungs burning, screaming for air. But she would not stop, she would not give in. Merlin was a few steps ahead of her when he tripped, and she pulled him up as she passed him.

"We have to hurry, something tells me that the ceremony has already begun." Lillian cried. They had been running all through the night and there was no doubt in her mind that they had already reached the lake.

Finally they arrived to find Aulfric in the middle of the ceremony, just as Lillian predicted. _"Merlin, the staff."_ She nodded at the staff belonging to Sophia that was on the ground beside Aulfric.

"Onbregdan." Merlin whispered, making the staff flying into his hands. Aulfric turned to the pair. "Swilte, gold beorp." A bright bolt of light erupted from the staff and Aulfric seemed to just explode.

The chaos had grabbed Sophia's attention. "Father. No! No!" She cried, trying to wade out of the water.

"_Leave her to me, Merlin."_ He nodded at her and she stepped forward. "I warned you. Never, ever hurt my friends." Lillian growled before her eyes flashed gold and Sophia cried in pain before exploding.

Merlin pulled off his jacket and rushed into the water. "Arthur? Arthur!" He called, searching around for the prince.

Lillian gazed at the water, trying to sense where Arthur was. If they didn't find him soon then he would surely drown. Then she found him. _"Merlin, he's further out. You have to go deeper."_

"_I can't find him."_ Merlin cried.

Lillian needed to do something to help. "Eth leiy briaegr." She whispered, keeping her eyes fixed on a certain point of the lake. Her eyes flashed gold and a bright light shone deep in the lake.

"_Thanks. I see him now."_ Merlin said, noticing the light under the water.

He dragged him back to shore and panted heavily from exhaustion. Lillian quickly checked him over. "Still breathing, that's a bonus I suppose." She held her hand out over his chest, Merlin watched her closely as her eyes flashed and she smiled. "I think he's going to be just as arrogant as ever."

"What did you do?" Merlin asked her, knowing that she had used magic, but unaware of what it was.

"Removed all the water from his lungs. He had swallowed quite a lot." She looked around their surroundings. "One question, Merlin. How are we going to get him back to Camelot?" Something told her that she was not going to like the answer.

"I guess we're going to have to carry him back." Lillian groaned at this. Not only had she helped Merlin to save his life, she now had to help him carry the heavy clotpole of a prince back to Camelot.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." She mumbled, causing Merlin to laugh. "How are you, Merlin?"

"Be better when I'm out of these soaked clothes." He moaned, indicating to fact that he was wet from head to toe.

Lillian smiled at him, which confused Merlin until he saw her eyes flash gold, again. "Better?" She asked.

He looked down at his clothes to find that they were completely dry. "How did you do that?" Lillian just shrugged at him. She hadn't really thought about it, she just focused on what she wanted to do. "I wouldn't want to pick a fight with you."

"No, but I'm sure Arthur will want to pick a fight with both of us when he finds out what has happened." Lillian said, letting out a sigh. "Come on, we need to move before his absence is noticed.

They did struggle getting him back to Camelot, especially unnoticed. Lillian was at least grateful that she had not been noticed. As soon as they were back in the castle, Lillian rushed off to get into some more appropriate clothing.

Once she was ready she made her way to Arthur's chamber, knowing that he was still asleep but was now safe in his bed. As she opened the door she saw Merlin and Gaius sitting on one side of the bed, watching the prince carefully.

"I take it he has yet to wake up?" Lillian asked as she sat down on the chair on the other side of the bed.

"Yes, but Merlin told me what you done." Gaius said, not daring to mention exactly what it was. "You saved the Prince's life."

Lillian just smiled. "I know someone who does that all the time. We both saved him, together."

Before anyone else could say anything the prince groaned. "Arthur? Arthur?" Merlin called as the man in the bed began to wake up.

"What happened? Where am I?" He asked sleepily.

"Can you remember anything?" The warlock asked. Lillian was determined to keep quiet, Merlin knew not to mention that she was there.

"Oh! Oh, my head." He moaned, clutching it slightly. "There was a girl. Sophia… I asked my father something about her, I asked him…" Arthur thought hard before sitting upright. "What was I thinking?" He exclaimed, realising what he had asked.

"Well, we did wonder." Merlin said, glancing at Gaius. "Especially when you eloped with her last night."

"I did what?" Arthur asked in shock. He didn't want to believe any of this actually happened.

"Merlin had to bring you back to Camelot." Gaius informed him.

"I don't recall any of this."

"Must have been some blow." Gaius said, looking at Merlin.

"What blow?" Arthur was loosing patience now.

"Well… er… when I caught up with you, I couldn't persuade you to return, you were beyond reason. So I had to make you." Merlin told him. He knew that Lillian wanted no mention of the part she played, she was happy for Merlin to take all the credit for it all.

"You managed to knock me out?" The Prince was shocked.

"Yep. With a lump of wood." There was a grin on Merlin's face. He was actually enjoying seeing Arthur's reaction.

"He only did it to bring you back safely." Gaius added, worried for Merlin's safety.

Arthur sharply pointed at the pair sitting beside his bed. "No one can know about this. Any of it. Especially Lady Lillian. Is that understood?"

Merlin and Gaius looked at each other before nodded to the prince. Seemingly happy with their response he threw himself back against the pillow.

"_You going to let him know that you are here now?"_ Merlin asked her. When he saw a grin spread across he face, he knew that she was.

She cleared her throat, which instantly caused Arthur to sit back up and stare at her. "Is there something you wish to tell me, Arthur?"

He frowned at Lillian. "Please tell me you have not been sitting there the entire time?" Lillian didn't answer him, she just smirked at him which gave him an answer. "Why did you not tell me she was sitting there?" He snapped at Merlin.

"Arthur, there is no need to take it out on Merlin." She told him calmly. "Would you rather he let you elope with that woman?" Arthur didn't know what to say to her. "Your father will be wishing to speak with you soon. I recommend you work on your story." She said before standing up and heading towards the door.

"Lillian." Arthur called, making her turn to face him. "Can we please speak later?" She paused for a moment before nodded at him.

"Good day, sire." She said, before making a swift exit. _"Told you, still arrogant."_

"_Are you going to forgive him?"_ Merlin asked as she walked towards her room.

"_I'm not sure. Depends on how much of a clotpole he is and if you end up thrown in the stocks again because of him"_

Of course Merlin did end up in the stocks again. After Arthur confronted his father and explained that he had gone out on a hunt and Merlin was meant to inform him of that. Lillian had spend the day talking with Morgana, and had to apologise for disappearing the night before. She told her that she spent most of the time wandering the castle, worrying about Arthur. Morgana then constantly teased her for having feelings for Arthur, to which she was constantly denying.

"Come in, Arthur." She called when there was a loud knocking on her door.

He entered her room, looking rather sheepish and nervous. "Lady Lillian, I have come to apologise for my behaviour over recent days. It was unacceptable. I hope you can forgive me."

Lillian stayed sitting down, unable to look at him. "You apology has been accepted, but that does not change the fact that I am leaving. The King has informed me that my brother will be here in a week's time. I shall be leaving with him when he arrives."

If Lillian had been looking at him, she would have seen his face fall and his eyes fill with disappointment. "I wish you would reconsider, Lillian. I would very much like you to stay in Camelot longer."

She let out a sigh and finally looked at him. It was the biggest mistake she could have made as she saw the hurt on his face. "I see no reason for me to stay. I cannot see a life for myself in Camelot."

"Well, I hope that maybe I can change your mind before your brother arrives." Arthur told her, a small glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"That may not be possible, I do not want you neglecting your duties any longer." Lillian was currently feeling a mix of feelings. Part of her wanted to stand up and slap the man across the face, another part of her wanted to forgive him and tell him that she doesn't want to really leave.

"I would be honoured if you would join me on the training field tomorrow. I'm sure you skills have improved since our last battle." His eyes were pleading with her to say yes, and she just couldn't turn away from him.

"You wish me to put you to shame in front of your own knights?" She asked, letting a smile form on her face.

"I shall have Merlin collect you in the morning. Good night, Lillian."

He had avoided answering her question, because he knew that there was every possibility that she was going to beat him. "Sleep well, Arthur."

Once he had left, Lillian couldn't help but smile as she climbed into her bed. Maybe, just maybe, the Arthur that she had known all those years ago was still there, somewhere.

"_So, how did it go?"_ Merlin asked

"_I think it may actually have gone well. He has asked me to join him for training in the morning. I know this is asking a lot, but could you possible hunt down something suitable for me to wear?"_

"_Of course I can. Are you planning and going easy on him?"_ Merlin was curious. He had heard that she could beat him easily in the past, so he was wondering if she was still going to be like that now.

"_I may go easy on him at first, just to see if he is going easy on me. I know his fighting style, I'm sure I can put him to shame. And he knows that."_ Lillian just couldn't stop smiling. _"Time to sleep now, Merlin. I need my rest if I am going to be on top form in the morning."_

They said their goodnights and Lillian settled down better in her bed. Her mind was running over everything that had happened since she had returned to Camelot. The way Arthur had initially been protective of her, the way he became angry when she avoided him.

She remembered as children he was always protective of her as well. Never letting her out of his sight if he thought danger was close by. They used to cause so much trouble around the castle but he would always take the blame for everything. Back then, nothing could come between them. She had seen something of that person now, that little hint of the Arthur she used to know.

All she could do was hope that she was going to see more of that person. There was every possibility that Arthur could convince her to stay before her brother arrived. And she was looking forward to seeing what Arthur would do to try to make that happen.

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**A/N: And there we have it, the end of the first episode. I hope you all liked it. Remember, I love reviews, they make me smile. Or PM me, I don't mind. **

**Pippa. **


	6. Putting Him in His Place

Lillian seemed to sleep rather well that night and when she awoke she had a smile on her face still. The smile didn't fade as Gwen entered her room and set down her breakfast.

"You seem in a rather good mood this morning, Lady Lillian. Have you and Arthur made up?" She asked as Lillian sat down at the table.

"To a certain extent. I believe we will settle our differences later this morning during training." Lillian said, tucking in to the healthy breakfast that she always requested.

Gwen seemed a little surprised. "You're joining Prince Arthur for training?"

"At his request, I might like to add." She said, taking a bite out of an apple. "It would appear our dear prince is determined to show himself up in front of his knights. I just hope he can handle his ego and pride being slightly injured."

Gwen couldn't help but laugh, and agree that the prince needed to be taught a lesson sometimes. Lillian was only to will to help him learn his lesson. It didn't take long for Merlin to arrive with everything she needed to take Arthur on during training. Gwen stayed around to help her get ready while Merlin waited outside to escort her.

"So, are you ready to put Arthur in his place?" Merlin asked as they left the castle.

"I'm always ready to put that man in his place. Today shall only be different since he will have his knights looking on." Lillian didn't want to admit it, but she was really looking forward to facing Arthur.

"Well, now is your chance." Merlin said, nodding to where Arthur was sparring with a knight.

"This is going to be very interesting. I do hope that you are going to hang around and watch this?" Lillian said as they watched Arthur defeat the knight.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss this." There was a huge smirk on his face, he was certainly going to enjoy every moment.

It didn't take long for Arthur to spot her standing to the side watching him. "Ah, Lady Lillian, so glad you could join us. Now, do you need me to remind you how to hold a sword, or do you think you can manage on your own?" He asked her, grinning away.

Lillian grabbed a sword from the rack and tested it by swinging it around a few times. "I think I can manage, thank you Prince Arthur." She said as she slowly approached him.

"Would you like me to go easy on you?" He teased, knowing she would not accept that.

"Are you looking for an excuse as to why I shall beat you?" She asked, preparing herself.

"You seem confident."

Lillian laughed at him a little. "You seem arrogant. Nothing changes."

She was ready for him, a little plan forming in her head. She was going to let him think he was getting the better of her before she would strike back, forcing him to do his best. As she expected, Arthur waited for her to make the first move, when she didn't he swung his sword at her. She was quick to block his move, and every other move that came after.

"Have you finished your warm up yet, sire?" She asked him, smirking at him.

She could see the determination in his eyes now. The fun was over, now it was serious. "Well, I was planning on going easy on you, but you have made it perfectly clear that you are above that. Let's see if you can handle the training of a real knight."

"Let's see what you've got, Pendragon." Lillian didn't let her grin falter. This was what she had been waiting for, this was her chance to get back at Arthur.

He went for her, and she dodged. Every strike Arthur made, Lillian either dodged or blocked. She was quick on her feet and had been able to predict the man's moves. Once she had tired him out a little she started to actually fight back.

Quite a large crowd had gathered, there were more knights now, as well as several of the guards. A surprising onlooker was King Uther. Neither of them had noticed the audience, they were too busy locked in combat. But Lillian was ready to end it. She disarmed the Prince and knocked him to the floor. A proud look on her face, she had done it.

Arthur looked at her in shock. He had not really had time to register what was happening at the time, and before he knew it he was on the ground with no sword. Lillian held out her hand to help the prince up, he shook his head at her before accepting her hand.

As she pulled him off the floor the whole crowed erupted into applause and cheers. _"I think you may have impressed a few people."_ Merlin told her as he clapped with the rest of the crowd.

"_And it seems that Arthur's ego hasn't taken too much of a beating. That's a surprise."_ Lillian told him as the King approached her and Arthur.

"Lady Lillian, I see you're sword skills are as excellent as ever. There are not many people who can best my son." Uther told her.

Lillian smiled at him, feeling a little embarrassed. "Thank you, My Lord, but I do believe your son was going easy on me." She quickly glanced at Arthur and saw a look of frustration on his face. No, he had not been going easy on her, he had been giving it his all.

"Nonsense. Tonight we shall hold a feast. In honour of the Lady Lillian." Uther declared, causing there to be another loud eruption. "Perhaps Lady Lillian can teach you a few things, Arthur." He said, clapping his son on the shoulder before leaving.

Lillian didn't know how Arthur was going to react. There was every chance that he was going to be angry and upset because he had been beaten by her. But so far, he seemed calm and to take it in his stride.

"I agree with my father, Lady Lillian. Your skills with a sword have improved. I'm impressed." Arthur told her as the crowd started to disperse.

"I still believe that you went easy on me, Arthur." She assured him. He seemed to be taking it rather well, and she didn't feel much like upsetting him by gloating.

"Then I believe a rematch may be in order at some point." He said, as he stood tall in front of her.

Lillian smiled at him, he wasn't angry or upset, if anything there was a little hint of glee in his eyes. "I look forward to it, sire."

"Would you do me the honour of allowing me to accompany you to the feast?" Arthur's eyes were hopeful that she would say yes, and she knew it as well.

"I would be honoured, sire." Lillian said, trying to contain her excitement. She wasn't exactly sure why she was so excited, but she was. It didn't help that Arthur's face lit up when she said yes.

"Well, I think that is enough training for today." Arthur said, turning to address his knights. As he did, Lillian walked back over to Merlin.

"That went rather well." Merlin noted as she stopped beside him to watch Arthur speak with his knights.

"It went better than I expected it to. I didn't realise so many people had been watching, I'm surprised that Arthur didn't go into a fit of rage for them seeing him losing to me." Lillian was still smiling.

"And now, there is a feast being held in your name. And am I right in saying that the Prince has asked to accompany you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Merlin. That is correct. I hope you are not getting any ideas, you know my feelings on this whole destiny thing." She warned him.

"Lady Lillian." Arthur called as he walked over to where she was standing. "Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"

"_He's up to something."_ She told Merlin, knowing that look in the prince's eyes. "No, sire. The only plan I had for today was to put you to shame in front of your own knights. I have successfully done that task for today."

Arthur frowned at her, trying his best to ignore her comment that was meant to insult him. "Merlin, prepare the horses. I think it is time we took Lady Lillian to see more than just the castle."

Merlin nodded at him and walked off, doing as his master had asked him. "I'm sorry, sire, but I do not think I am up to leaving the castle." Lillian told him nervously.

"Lillian, I now understand why. But you will be safe, I will not let any harm come to you. And I am more than sure, that with a sword, you would be able to take care of yourself should something happen." Lillian was a little surprised by the fact that Arthur had realised why she had not wanted to go for that picnic he had planned several days ago.

"I still do not think that it is wise, Arthur." He could see how nervous she was now. She as twiddling her hands in a way that he had seen her do many times before.

Arthur let out a sigh. "Lily, do you trust me?"

She stared at him, since she had come back she could only recall him calling her by her full name, Lillian. Although she was sure he had called her Lily when he had been trying to wake her up when she had first arrived. "Of course I trust you, Arthur, always."

"Then trust me when I tell you that I will not let anything happen to you." He took hold of both her hands, stopping her from playing with them and forcing her to look at him. "I promise, Lily."

Slowly she nodded at him. "Then allow me to change and I will be happy to join you."

Lillian rushed back to her room, and was greeted by Morgana. "Well, you certainly put Arthur in his place this morning." She said cheerfully. "And Uther seemed rather impressed with your skills as well." Morgana had been looking on from a window in the castle, so had many of the servants it would seem.

"It hasn't changed his arrogance, Morgana. He has already asked for a rematch." She told her, as Gwen entered the room to help her change. "I suppose I may have to let him win at some point."

"I hope that you don't let him win any time soon. I do enjoy seeing his face when you have beaten him in a duel before he has even realised what has happened." Morgana commented, smiling away as Gwen started to work with Lillian's hair.

She was now wearing a deep purple dress, it was not too heavy or with much detail, it was more than suitable for her touring of Camelot.

"No need to worry, Morgana. He will need several days to recover from today's incident." Lillian said, a rather satisfying smile on her face. "It seems like it may have been worth my staying in Camelot for slightly longer after all.

"Are you still planning on leaving when your brother gets here?" Morgana asked her curiously. She did not want her friend to go, and she knew that Arthur was the real reason she wanted to leave. In all honesty, Morgana felt like knocking their heads together.

"Now, Morgana, I am not going into this again. When my brother arrives I will make my final decision. But as I have told you, countless numbers of times before, there is little here for me. I have a handful of friends, but nothing that could bind me." Lillian repeated what she had said in her head. _That could bind me? What on Earth was I thinking? No, the problem was I wasn't thinking. How could I have said that?_ She thought to herself.

"Lillian? Are you feeling well? You've gone as white as a sheet." Gwen asked, looking nervously over at Morgana who also seemed concerned.

"Sorry, yes, I'm fine." Lillian said. Pushing herself out of the chair. "Now, I do believe that the Prince is waiting for me. Enjoy the rest of your day, I shall see you both later." She nodded to both the women before hastily making her way out of the room.

"_Has Arthur been complaining about being beaten yet?"_ Lillian called to Merlin, who she was sure had been getting an earful from his master.

"_Actually, no. He's been doing nothing but singing your praises."_ She frowned, why would he be doing that?

"_Is that arrogant prince up to something by any chance? Does he have something more planned than just showing me around?"_ Something was telling her that he really was up to something, she knew him too well for him not to be.

"_If he is, he hasn't told me about it."_ She could see Merlin mentally shrug as he told her that.

She carried on walking to the courtyard where she found Merlin standing with three strongly built horses. Without even thinking she approached one of the horses, it was white all over, apart from the black mane and tail it possessed. She also noticed that the horse was black leading down to its hooves. There was something familiar about the horse, but she just couldn't place it.

"I take it you approve of your horse?" Arthur asked as he stood behind her. She quickly spun around and came face to face with the prince.

"There is something familiar about it, but I don't seem to be able to work it out." There was a small look of frustration on her face. Arthur couldn't help but smile at her, he thought she looked rather adorable with that look on her face.

"One of the finest stallions in all of the five kingdoms. Just like his mother and father were." Arthur announced, just making Lillian even more confused. "Tell me, what do you remember of the horse you left behind?"

Lillian's eye grew wide as she finally realised why the horse looked familiar. "She didn't?" She asked in shock.

Arthur just grinned and nodded at her. "It would appear that it wasn't just us who were friends back then. They had many fine, strong foals over the years."

"Well, I certainly didn't see that coming." Lillian told him, patting the horse beside her and making a fuss of him.

"Shall we go then?" Arthur suggested, offering to help Lillian onto her horse. Accepting his help, she made it into the saddle and watched as Arthur and Merlin also mounted. Arthur turned to her and smiled. "Ready?"

"After you, My Lord." Lillian said, a smirk on her face. Arthur just shook his head at her and they started off.

Lillian had to admit that she was feeling rather nervous the moment they were outside of the city. She was trying not to let Arthur see how she was feeling, he was too busy filling her in on his life in Camelot since she left to actually notice anything. But Merlin was able to sense it.

"_You okay? You seem a little worried and nervous."_ Merlin asked her softly.

"_I'm still not sure that leaving the safety of the city was a good idea. There's always bandits hanging around."_ She told him, quickly glancing around at Merlin.

"_Yeah, but you have Arthur and me to protect you. Don't worry about anything, just enjoy yourself." _Merlin, said, trying to get her to relax a little. Lillian nodded and smiled at him a little.

They made it back to the castle without incident, just as the afternoon was ending. Lillian was rather relieved when they dismounted and Arthur led her back inside. "Thank you for today, Arthur. I admit it was nice to get out of the castle for a while."

He smiled at her. "You are most welcome. And I told you nothing would happen."

Lillian rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, I know. But at least now you understand why I am cautious about leaving the city."

"I know, and I am sorry that I didn't realise that earlier." Once again his eyes were begging her for something, he still wasn't sure she had fully forgiven him.

"You are forgiven. Just don't do it again." She warned him, as they made their way towards her chamber. "I hope your father doesn't go to too much of a fuss for this feast." Lillian mumbled.

There was a smirk on the prince's face. "My father is known for his grand feasts. Plenty of food, drink and entertainment. I am certain that you will enjoy yourself." He insisted.

Lillian wanted to disagree with him, in all honesty she didn't want there to be a feast in her honour. It must have been bad enough for Arthur to be beaten by her, now he had to sit through a feast in her name. "I'm sure you will make the night interesting enough." She told him, stopping outside of her room.

"I'm not quite sure I understand what you are implying." Arthur said, frowning at her.

Lillian let a smile stretch across her face. "I have heard rumours that the mighty prince of Camelot sometimes can't handle his drink."

His frown grew deeper. "Well, I shall put those rumours to an end at the feast tonight."

"I look forward to it then. Now, if you shall excuse me, My Lord, I need to prepare for tonight, as do you." Lillian told him, resting a hand on her door.

Arthur let a smile take over his face. "Try not to be nervous. I'm sure everything will be prefect."

"Who said I was nervous? I'm not nervous." Lillian said, just a little too quickly for Arthur to believe her.

"_Yes you are." _She heard Merlin whisper to her.

"_Stop being so nosey and get on with your chores, otherwise I will make sure Arthur gives you plenty more to do."_ She warned him. She knew he wasn't listening into their conversation, he was just sensing how she was feeling.

"I'll take your word for it then." Arthur said with a smile. "I'm sure everything will be fine, stop worrying."

"First you say I'm nervous, now you tell me I'm worrying. You think you know me so well." She said, flashing him a cheeky grin. "I will see you later, Arthur." Lillian nodded at him before opening her door. She managed to keep her eyes away from the Prince as she closed the door behind her.

Lillian slowly moved away from the closed door as she heard Arthur's footsteps grow fainter. She really had enjoyed her day so far. It felt like her and Arthur was getting along, just how they used to when they were younger. Except something was different, something that she couldn't quite explain and it was annoying her.

It wasn't until she approached her bed that she noticed something lying on it, something blue with a slight hint of green. She cautiously stepped over to her bed and gasped with shock. There before her was the most beautiful gown she had seen since arriving in Camelot. The colours were that of her own kingdom, and the dress reflected that with the golden embroidery around the bodice and down the skirt.

She was in such shock that she had not heard Gwen or Morgana enter the room. Lillian just stood there, unable to speak.

"Do you like the dress?" Gwen asked, making Lillian jump.

She started at Gwen, her eyes wide. "Gwen, did you do this?"

The maid nodded at her. "With some help from the Lady Morgana."

Lillian just looked between the two women in utter confusion. "I helped Gwen with the design. I remembered from your mother's dresses and the colour's of your kingdom. But all the hard work was down to her." Morgana told her.

"What do you mean? Gwen, did you make this?" Lillian was getting more and more surprised by what was going on. When Gwen nodded at her she just rushed forward and hugged her, before moving on and hugging Morgana as well. "I don't know what to say. It's gorgeous."

"Don't say anything. Put it on. I think we need to start getting you ready for the feast that is being held in your honour and that our dear prince is escorting you to." Morgana told her, a grin reaching across her face.

Sometime later, Morgana and Gwen were standing anxiously, waiting for Lillian to appear from behind the screen. She had, of course, insisted on dressing herself. "Lillian, will you hurry up. Arthur will be here soon." Morgana called, starting to get somewhat impatient. It was dark out now, and Morgana had noticed people already arriving for the feast.

"Okay, calm down." Lillian said, slowly stepping out from behind the wooden screen.

Morgana and Gwen just stared at her. Both smiling away. "Well, you are certain to get some attention in that tonight." Morgana told her, not letting the smile fade from her face.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's such a beautiful dress, I'm sure I don't do it justice." Lillian mumbled. She was feeling very self-conscious, and she was going to have to face not only Arthur and Uther, but also the knights and other nobles.

"I agree with Morgana, you look wonderful." Gwen was please. She had worked hard on the dress for days. It was meant to be a surprise for her for when her brother arrived, as a parting gift, but the feast became a much more worthy event.

"Now sit down, let us do your hair for you now." Morgana said, taking her friend by the hands and leading her to the dresser.

It was almost an hour later when there was a loud knocking on the door. Gwen and Morgana both smiled, knowing it was Arthur, come to collect her to escort her to the feast. Lillian was not feeling as happy and content as they were.

"_Merlin, are you outside with Arthur?"_ Lillian asked. She didn't feel ready to face Arthur yet.

"_Yes, what's wrong?"_ He could sense that something wasn't right.

"_Get in front of him, I want you right in front of the door."_ She warned him, a plan forming in her mind. "I don't think I can do this." She told Morgana and Gwen, stepping back a little. "If Merlin is there, let him in. On no account do you let Arthur in." Gwen nodded at her and opened the door a crack.

Merlin stood there, a confused look on his face. Gwen just grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room and quickly closed the door.

"Is there a problem?" Arthur called through the door, not knowing what was going on.

"Why would you think there was a problem?" Morgana called back to him.

"Well, I've come to accompany Lady Lillian to the feast, and as soon as the door opened, my servant was dragged inside." Arthur replied, the confusion seeping through his voice.

"Everything is fine, Arthur. I just needed a word with Merlin." Lillian called, her voice shaking slightly. She looked at Merlin and bit her lip. "Honest opinion, Merlin, otherwise I shall have Arthur throw you in the stocks. Do you think this is acceptable?"

"_Is that what you are worrying about? How you look?"_ He asked. Lillian glared at him, and he knew not to anger her. "I think you look wonderful. Where did you get the dress?"

"Gwen, she made it. It would appear that she is quite the seamstress as well. Just another of her many talents." Lillian said, still not believing Merlin. _"Do you really think it's fine? I don't want to make a fool of myself tonight."_

"_Like I said, you look wonderful. And I bet Morgana and Gwen have already said that. I can't wait to see the look on Arthur's face when he see's you."_

Lillian tensed up in fear for some reason. Her stomach twisted and she found it harder to breath. Merlin suddenly realised that it was his comment that had made her become even more nervous.

"If someone doesn't open this door right now, I shall be forced to break it down." Arthur threatened.

"You better get out there. You know he doesn't make empty threats." Morgana said, nudging her towards the door.

Lillian slowly stepped towards the door, wishing that the dress had sleeves. They had plotted against her, by making sure the dress didn't have sleeves that she could tug at. She was annoyed at that, because now all she could do was clasp her hands in front of her and hope for the best. Merlin couldn't help but grin madly at her as he opened the door.

Arthur's eyes grew wide when he saw the woman before him. He was completely lost for words, which was a rarity for the prince. Lillian looked at him, holding his gaze. "If you do not say something within the next 5 seconds I am closing this door and not leaving this room." She told him firmly.

"Lillian, you look beautiful." He finally managed to say, his eyes still captivated by her. "But there is something missing." He said, before holding a small box out towards her.

She eyed him suspiciously, before opening the box. Now it was her turn to be lost for words. The small boxed contained the most stunning piece of jewellery she had ever seen. There was a clear stone, in the shape of a teardrop, attached to a silver chain. Before she recovered from the shock, Arthur had taken the pendant from the box and had fixed it around her neck.

"Perfect." He said, beaming away at her. "Lady Lillian, would you allow me to accompany you to the feast?" He asked, holding out his arm to her.

Lillian was still somewhat shocked but managed to nod at him and put her arm through his. Everything just seemed to be so different to how she had imagined the night starting. She had never expected the dress, or the pendant. In her mind she had imagined Arthur come to collect her and then talking about their rematch that he wanted on the way. This is completely different to that, and now the nerves were taking her over again.

"There really is no need for you to be nervous." Arthur told her as they made their way to the hall where the feast was being held.

"I wish people would stop telling me how I'm feeling." She mumbled, but not quiet enough for the prince to not hear her.

"That is because we are your friends, and we know you. We also care about you. Strangely enough." Lillian knew that he was only trying to make her relax a little, but it did almost nothing to help her. Arthur couldn't help but notice that she was still anxious, and he quickly dragged her into an empty chamber.

"Arthur, what are you playing at?" Lillian asked him in shock. She had been paying more attention to where she was meant to be walking when the prince suddenly pulled her to the side.

"I want you to talk to me, and tell me what is wrong." He said, standing in front of the door so she couldn't escape him.

Lillian sighed. "There is nothing wrong. Okay, so maybe I am a little nervous. Do you know how long it has been since I have done anything like this? I don't like being the centre of attention, I never have and you know that quite well."

"You're a princess, you need to start getting used to that life again, especially if you are going back to Rolana with your brother." Arthur knew what he was doing, he had a plan forming in his head, now he needed to start executing it.

"Don't remind me." She mumbled. "Sometimes I just wish my life was simpler, that I wasn't a princess and that I could do what I wanted, when I wanted to. No have to abide by all these different rules."

Arthur could understand how she was feeling, there were many times when he felt that was as well. "I know. But you are a princess, and you can't change that. You just have to accept it and make the most of it." Arthur told her, sitting down on an empty chair in the room.

They both sat there in silence for a while, both seemingly lost in their own little worlds. Lillian was gazing out of the window, while Arthur kept gazing at Lillian.

"_Where are you and Arthur? The King is starting to worry the pair of you have run off to cause trouble."_ Merlin called to her.

She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Arthur. "Aren't we meant to be going to a feast?"

Arthur looked at her with wide eyes. "Father is going to have my head for this." He said, jumping out of the chair and grabbing hold of Lillian's hand. He threw the door open and the both started to charge down the stone corridor.

* * *

**A/N: Happy New Year all you lovely people. **

**Remember to let me know what you think. I'm still not sure how well this story is going, even though I have a lot planned and already written. **

**Pippa.**


	7. A Shoulder to Cry on

**A/N: Thank you for all your review. Keep them coming. **

* * *

They eventually slowed down, as they grew closer to the hall where the feast was being held. Lillian began to tug at her dress, pretending she was smoothing it down.

"It's all going to be fine." Arthur told her, tucking a stray lock if her hair behind her ear. "I promise." She just nodded at him as they carried on their short walk.

"Oh, shut up and move it." Lillian snapped. The fear inside her was rising and she could fell her stomach knotting. The closer they got to the hall, the queasier she felt.

"Lillian, just take a deep breath. Everything is going to be absolutely fine." Arthur assured her as they reached the hall. She just nodded at him and took a breath before he held out his arm for her. "Ready?" She nodded at him again and he nodded to the guard.

The doors opened and Arthur had to practically drag Lillian into the hall where everyone was settled for the feast. "Ah, and here is our guest of honour, Princess Lillian of Rolana." King Uther called, standing up from his chair.

Arthur led her to the table where she was to be seated next to him. Lillian couldn't help but notice the way everyone seemed to be watching her and whispering. Some of the knights that were there even had their mouths hanging open. As they moved closer she saw Merlin standing by the table they were heading for.

"_Really know how to make an entrance don't you?"_ She could see the smirk on his face.

"_Watch it, Merlin. Or I'll have Arthur throw you in the stocks."_ They both knew that she was joking and would never actually do that. "Thank you, sire. For granting me safety in your kingdom. Your kindness and generosity shall never be forgotten." Lillian said, bowing before the king.

"Your parents were good and kind people, and they shall forever be remembered." She smiled at him, her parents and Arthur's had always been good friends, and allies. "Come, let the feast begin."

Arthur led her to her chair and waited for her to sit down before taking the chair next to her. "See, everything is fine." He whispered to her as Merlin poured them both a goblet of wine.

"Oh, do be quiet Arthur." She hissed at him in a playful tone.

Everything actually did seem to go rather well. They ate, drank and laughed together, catching the attention of Uther, who could only smile at them. Lillian was finally able to relax, people were paying no attention to her. A few knights had approached her and congratulated her on winning against Arthur, those were the moments when she felt awkward. Arthur seemed to just be brushing it off, and not caring what people were saying.

"You were so late I was starting to wonder if the pair of you hadn't gone off to cause trouble somewhere." Uther said, sipping from his goblet.

"It was my fault, sire." Lillian told him. "I'm ashamed to say I still find events like this affect my nerves."

Uther just smiled at her. "Ah yes, I remember how you and Arthur used to sneak out at the first opportunity. The guards usually found the pair of you sparring in the armoury."

"I admit, I used to get your son into much trouble when we were younger." Lillian said, thinking back to when she used to run around the castle with her best friend. When they became teens, they were even worse. That was when they started getting inventive and played pranks on many of the nobility that came to stay and the knights. Up until Lillian had to leave.

Uther just smiled at her. "I believe he used to get you into trouble as well. Neither of you were as innocent as you claimed to be. After you and your family left, the castle was so much quieter."

Arthur seemed to notice the smile falter on Lillian's face. "It was nice to have a bit of peace around the place actually." He joked, grinning at her as he drank some of his wine. "No one banging on my door during the middle of the night, trying to get me into trouble."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You never needed any help to get into trouble, it just comes naturally to you."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, really?" Lillian just kept smiling at him. "Okay, getting lost in the woods and almost captured by bandits?"

"You were bored and wanted to get out of training. You decided to go for a little walk and made me go with you." She replied, in a very matter of fact tone.

"Who almost drowned when we went to the lake?" He asked.

"I did." There was a triumphant smile on the prince's face. "After you pushed me in and my dress became caught under the water."

"Who got herself stuck up a tree?" Arthur was determined to prove that she caused as much trouble as he did.

"Again, that would be me. But only after you decided to try and hunt down a bear without so much as a stick. We were lucky the guards heard me calling your name as you were backed up against the tree." Lillian had kept a calm face the entire time. She knew that she had more on Arthur than he did on her. There was no way he would ever be able to prove that she was worse than him.

"I do believe Lady Lillian has you beat, Arthur." Uther said with a chuckle. Arthur picked up his goblet and stood up, frowning at Lillian as he did so, before walking over to join some of his knights.

"I believe I may have offended your son, sire." Lillian said, let a smile creep across her face.

"He is stubborn, as you well know. Now tell me, how are you finding Camelot?" Uther asked her, glancing at his son who was now talking with Sir Leon.

"It is still a wonderful as I remember. The people are kind and they all seem very happy. I am truly grateful for you allowing me to stay here." It was true, she was thankful for Uther letting her stay, he didn't have to and yet he did. She knew that things would be different if he knew she possessed magic.

"You and your family are always welcome here. Rolana has always been such great allies to Camelot, and I hope when your brother arrives we shall be able to strengthen that bond." Lillian wondered what Uther meant by that. She wondered if he and her brother were going to sign a new peace treaty, since it had been her parents who had arranged the one that currently stands.

"I wish there was something I could do to repay you for your kindness, sire." She said to him, not really knowing what else to say.

"Seeing my son happy is reward enough. He was never the same after you left, but I can see you bring a smile to his face."

A few drinks later, and it was Lillian who was up and chatting away with the knights. They all seemed impressed with the way that she handled Arthur on the training ground.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Sir Leon asked her.

"Well, some of it came from Arthur, but most of it was from my father. He always insisted that I needed to be able to protect myself." She told them.

"And yet you couldn't protect yourself from those raiders, could you?" Arthur said as he came back over to join them.

"You weren't there, Arthur, you have no idea what happened." Lillian snapped at him. She turned back to the knights. "I'm sorry, please excuse me." She said to them before dashing out of the hall.

She didn't stop until she was outside, overlooking the city from the safety of the castle still. She leaned against the wall and let out a sigh. In all honesty, she had never meant to snap at Arthur, but he just didn't understand what had happened that night. Lillian had never gone into details about what had happened.

"You shouldn't be out here on your own." A voice called beside her.

"Not exactly on my own when you're here am I?" She replied, not even bothering to turn and look at the person, she already knew it was Arthur.

"Lillian, I'm sorry if I upset you." He said softly.

"Sometimes you should think before you speak, sire." It was clear from her tone that she was still unhappy with the prince. "You do not know what happened that night. You do not know what I went through or what I saw. You have absolutely no right to comment on it." She told him, still keeping her gaze focused on the darkened city before her.

"Then why don't you tell me? You have spoken to no one about what happened that night." He rested his hand on her to try and get her attention. "Lillian, please."

She let out a sigh and went to face him when something gleaming for only a second caught her eye. She made her eyes focus on the spot where she thought she had seen something. She was about to dismiss it when she saw it again, the moonlight reflecting off something, and that something was moving.

"Arthur." She said quietly, not taking her eyes of the side of the castle where someone or something was climbing. "Someone's breached the castle."

He looked at her in confusion, but she refused to face him still. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the person scaling the castle wall." She said calmly. Arthur followed her gazed and saw it for himself. He grabbed hold of her hand and was about to drag her inside when she stopped him. "Do not rush. If they know we have seen them, you will have less chance of catching them."

He nodded at her and they casually walked back inside. As soon as they were clear, Arthur called the guards and the warning bell was soon ringing. They rushed to the hall where the feast was still in progress, Arthur not letting go of Lillian's hand.

After quickly explaining to his father what had happened, Arthur gathered the knights that were there and some of the guards. "Merlin, take Lillian to my chamber. And stay with her." He said to his servant before turning to the woman. "Lillian, on no account are you to leave that room. Do you understand?" She nodded at him, slightly surprised by his authoritative tone.

Before she knew what was happening, Merlin was dragging her up to Arthur's chamber. The warlock locked the door and stood by it, watching Lillian as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Lillian, are you okay?" He asked her, knowing that something was wrong. "You rushed out of the feast pretty quickly."

"Arthur was being a prat. Opening his mouth before his brain had time to work." She said, looking off into the distance.

"I tend to not listen to him half the time." Merlin said, sitting down beside her on the bed. "So what did he say?"

"He was mocking me for being caught by those raiders. He wasn't there, he has no idea what happened. And in the end, I did manage to defend myself." Lillian said, taking a deep breath. She knew there was only one person she could tell, only one person who would understand. "I killed those raiders." She whispered to Merlin. "I was desperate, I don't really know what happened, I mean I thought they were going to kill me, but then I felt it, a surge of…"

"That explains it then really." Merlin said, smiling a little. "You lost control because you were scared. At least you're safe now."

Lillian nodded at little. "But I still couldn't save my parents. They forced me to run, they told me that they would give me time to get away. I hate myself for leaving them, Merlin. They died because of me." Then she broke down in tears.

Merlin didn't really know what to do, he had never been very good when it came to the females of the species. She wasn't crying loudly, she was crying silently, which just made Merlin all the more worried. "Hey, come on. What would your parents say if they could see you now? Your alive, they gave their lives for you because they loved you."

She just nodded some more as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. Since arriving in Camelot, she had not told anyone what had happened when she was faced with the raiders in the forest. Now she had told Merlin, all the memories and pain came flooding to her.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to burden this on you." She mumbled, feeling guilty about having told Merlin something else that others didn't know.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me." Merlin said, putting his arm over her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

Lillian smiled a little. "If course I trust you, Merlin. We both know things, we're both stuck on this stupid path called destiny. If it wasn't for you, I probably would have left Camelot already."

The young warlock seemed a little surprised at her words. "What do you mean? Why stay because of me?"

"Merlin, we understand each other. That's the first point I have to make. Also, I couldn't very well leave you to deal with that clotpole on your own now, could I? I hate the way he treats you and yet there is nothing I can do about it." She pulled her gaze up and looked Merlin straight in the eyes. "But I can stay here and be your friend."

Merlin had to admit, he was a little shocked. "So, are you telling me that you'd stay here for me? And not for Arthur?"

Lillian thought about it for a moment before answering him. "Yes, and no. I would stay here, as your friend, to help you. And since Prince arrogant clotpole insists on getting into trouble at every chance he can, I figured you might like a bit of help."

"You are accepting destiny, aren't you?" Merlin said, a slight grin visible on his face.

"I am most certainly not. Tell me, would you like to marry the Prince of Camelot?" She said, folding her arms across her chest in a very defensive way.

"No." Merlin said, shaking his head and laughing. "But you and him are really close."

Lillian rolled her eyes at him. "We have known each other for so long, of course we are close. But I'd say we are more a terrible brother and sister combination than anything else. I pity the fool who willingly marries Arthur."

"Well… according to the dragon, that fool is going to be you. So you pity yourself?" Merlin asked, a smirk on his face.

She glared daggers at him. If looks could kill, Merlin would have died several times over. "I refuse to listen to what Kilgharrah has to say. He's old, he is bound to be a bit confused."

"How did you know about him? I mean, you even know his name." Merlin asked her. He had never really had the chance to ask her about it all before. They were either too busy running around saving Arthur and Camelot, or in Merlin's case, doing his chores.

Lillian shifted, feeling a little uncomfortable. "My parents always knew about my… gift. They told me stories of him when I was little, never imagined I would get to meet him."

"And yet here you are. You have met him, and he knew you." Merlin had been amazed by that fact that Lillian knew all about the dragon and wasn't afraid of him the first time she met him.

"Yes, but I also know the prophesise of a certain warlock called Emrys." Merlin just looked at her questioningly. "Never mind, you will find out who he is soon enough, I promise."

"How is it, that you know so much?" He asked her.

She chuckled a little. "I had parents who were able to give me a good insight on… and well, I know our annoying prat of a prince as well. I can't help the fact that I was brought up with him, pretty much. And my parents accepted me." She bit her lip, wondering if she should divulge some more into her life. "Want to know the reason why we really left Camelot?"

"Lillian, you know you can trust me with anything." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Because of my magic." She whispered. "That's why we left. They told me later that I would play a part in the return of magic to Camelot."

Neither of them said a word as they noticed that the warning bell had stopped and everything became silent. "Do you think Arthur is okay?" Lillian asked, looking towards the window.

"He may be a clotpole, but he is a warrior. I'm sure he is fine." Merlin said, getting up from the bed and moving towards the door. "If I unlock it, do you promise not to make a run for it?" He asked her.

"I promise. I will be a good little princess and do as I am told. Even if it was Arthur who told me to stay here." She said as she climbed onto the princes' bed.

Merlin frowned at her. "What exactly are you doing?" He asked her curiously, as she made herself more comfortable and kicked off her shoes.

"What does it look like? I'm getting comfortable. Just because the bells have stopped tolling, doesn't mean he is going to be back any time soon."

And she was right. It was hours later when Arthur finally returned to his chamber. When he entered he saw Merlin half asleep in a chair and Lillian completely passed out on his bed. "Merlin, get up." He hissed, kicking the warlock's feet.

Merlin blinked a few times before jumping out of the chair. "Did you catch them?" He asked, a little too loudly for Arthur's liking.

Arthur shushed him, looking at Lillian sleeping. "No, they used magic against us." He whispered to his servant. "How's Lillian been?"

Merlin noticed the concern in his master's voice. "She was upset about something at first. She told me about what happened with the raiders."

Arthur seemed a little shock by that revelation. "She told you? What did she say exactly?"

"That her parents died so that she could live. They gave up their own lives so that their daughter could escape." Merlin said bitterly. He had not forgotten what she had told him about what Arthur said to her. "She cried, a lot. I've never seen anyone cry so much before. Never expected to see her cry." He admitted.

"Very few people have. She's a strong woman, Merlin." Arthur told him, keeping his focus on the woman on his bed.

"Have you seen her cry?" Merlin was curious. He knew they had been friends for a long time and suspected that Arthur had seen her cry before.

"Almost. One time. But she covered it up well. If you have seen her cry, then it must mean she trusts you." Arthur told him. "I guess she just doesn't trust me." He mumbled, but not quiet enough for Merlin not to hear him.

"Of course she trusts you. You're her best friend." Merlin reassured him.

"And how would you know that, Merlin?"

"Umm, because she told me. She says that you are like siblings." He answered nervously.

"Why did she say that?"

"Because you grew up together. She said that you used to have kind of a brother and sister relationship." Something about the way his master was looking at him worried him.

Arthur looked form his servant and to his friend. "Is that really what she said?" He sounded a little disappointed.

"Yup. I mean, you both care about each other." Merlin was curious to see if he could get anything else out of the prince. It was clear to anyone that saw them together that they both cared, but Merlin knew there was more, there had to be.

"Well of course I care about her, Merlin. She mean's more to me than you could understand." Arthur said before he could stop himself.

"Really?" He asked, trying not to be shocked or surprised.

"Yes, Merlin. Really." Arthur told him, before walking over to his bed. He sat down on the edge beside Lillian. "Hey, Lillian." He called softly, brushing her hair out of her face.

She let out a little groan before turning to face where the prince was sitting. "Arthur, what's going on?" She asked sleepily.

"We didn't catch them. They were using sorcery." He told her, not taking his eyes of her face.

"Well you better send a patrol out then. They can't have gone far." She mumbled, refusing to open her eyes.

Arthur chuckled a little. "I already have. But it's more serious, you need to listen to me." He insisted. Lillian knew that tone of his, it was his serious and stern tone. So she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "It's not safe for you nor Morgana to be over that part of the castle."

Lillian frowned as best she could. "What do you mean?"

"It looked as if they were heading towards your chamber. Morgana has been moved closer to my father and you are to return to your room next to here. Is that understood?" Arthur asked her.

"Fine, whatever. How about I just stay here tonight. I'm sure it's safer for me to stay in the princes' chamber than to be on my own." She mumbled, closing her eyes again.

"She has a point there, sire." Merlin said, a big smile on his face.

Arthur didn't even bother to look at him. "Lillian, you are right next door, and there will be at least two guards outside at all times. I promise, you will be safe." He assured her.

"Not good enough. I feel safer when I know you're around. Now shut up and let me sleep. Do you have any idea how late it is?" She rolled onto her side and made herself a little more comfortable.

Arthur let out a sigh. He knew that there was no point in trying to argue with her, especially not when she was half asleep. "Merlin, you best head back to your chamber now. And inform the guards that Lady Lillian shall not be in the room next door tonight. Do not, under any circumstance, tell them she is in here."

Merlin nodded at him. "Yes, sire. Good night, Arthur." He said, heading for the door.

"Not a word of any of this. To anyone. Do you understand?" Arthur threatened. Merlin nodded, getting what the prince was telling him. "Good night, Merlin."

He watched and waited until his servant was gone before turning his attention back to Lillian. "Lillian, if you're going to stay here all night, you may as well make yourself more comfortable." He told her, before helping her get under the sheets.

"You're not leaving me are you?" She mumbled as she settled down in the bed.

Arthur frowned at her, not that she was looking at him. "Of course not." He took off his boots and belt before moving the covers and lying down in his bed next to her. "I'm here, Lily." He told her, rolling onto his side so that they were facing each other.

She reached out her hand and Arthur instantly took a told of it, their fingers becoming entwined. "The last time I slept in your room was when we were kids." Lillian mumbled, shifting a little closer to Arthur.

He let a smile creep across his face. "I remember. That was your last night in Camelot." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. He had never wanted her to leave, and he still didn't now. He was determined to find a way to make her stay. Even if that meant begging to her brother, he would do it.

"I never wanted to go, you know. After we left, I didn't speak to my parents for over six months. I haven't spoken to my brother in even longer." Her voice was so quiet, but lucky for Arthur, he was used to hear her when she was tired. He could pick her voice out over shouting and screaming in a crowd in an instant.

"You really know how to hold a grudge don't you?" He said, keeping his eyes opened and watching her.

"Yes. And don't you ever forget that." She warned him.

"Oh believe me, I could never forget anything if it has something to do with you." He told her honestly. For months after she left, she was the only thing on his mind. Everything just reminded him of her. He had never forgotten her, he only promised himself that one day he would find her again.

"Oh, shut up, Arthur. I'm not that important." She said, gently squeezing his hand. "Now go to sleep."

He let a little laugh slip from his lips. "Yes princess. Whatever you say." He saw a small smile creep across Lillian's face and he knew that she was happy. And if he had to admit it, so was he. The prince would never admit it, but the world always seemed a little bit bright to him when he had her around.

Lillian always knew how to deal with him when he was in one of his moods. She was never afraid to tell him exactly what she thought of him, and he respected her for that. She didn't treat him like a prince, she treated him as a person. She meant more to him than he could explain, she was more than a sister to him and so much more than a best friend. He was just too afraid to admit what it really was.

He lay there, watching her sleeping peacefully. He still found it hard to believe that he had found her again, that she was there, peacefully sleeping in his bed. Everything just seemed too good to be true, life was never this kind to him. He couldn't help but wonder what trials they were going to face, what forces were going to try to tear them apart. There was also the fact that Lillian wanted to leave Camelot. He needed to change that, he had to make sure that she didn't disappear from his life again.

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**A/N: A little bit more about Lillian there, and her relationship with Arthur. I don't plan on doing every episode, and I have my reasons for it. Which you shall find out in due course. **

**I have actually started writing another Merlin story, well 2 actually. A young woman from the future finds herself in Camelot. I've only done a few chapters of it so far, but I'm will to post it if people want to give it a chance. Let me know what you think. I accept reviews, PM's and snail mail. **

**Hope you all had a fantastic New Year. **

**Pippa.**


	8. A Firm Decision

**A/N: Quick thank you for all the reviews. And hugs to those who have favourited/followed the story. Love you all. **

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Merlin was rushing through the castle. He was, as usual, running late. As soon as he had woken up, Gaius had cornered him. The physician had him delivering potions to different people throughout the castle. Then he needed to make a trip to the lower town, and of course, Merlin was dragged along as well.

He knew that Arthur as going to be in a pretty bad mood with him for being so late. Something would usually be thrown at his head, something that would hurt. Merlin didn't stop running until he finally reached Arthur's room. He looked and saw a very concerned Gwen coming out of Lillian's chamber.

"Everything alright, Gwen?" Merlin asked, walking over to where she was holding a tray containing Lillian's fruit that was her breakfast.

"I'm not sure. Lady Lillian isn't in her room. The bed hasn't been slept in, but her nightgown is missing." It was clear that she was worried about the missing Lady.

"Oh, I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she moved rooms again, maybe she didn't want to be so close to Arthur?" Merlin suggested, remembering full well why Lillian wasn't in her chamber. He had to stop himself from laughing at his own words. Last night, her and Arthur were very close.

Gwen studied him carefully for a moment. "You know something don't you?" She asked suspiciously.

"What? No, of course not. I only know where Arthur is, and I also know that he is going to hit me for being late. Again." Merlin said, heading back to the door to the Prince's chamber.

"Do you think I should tell Arthur or the guards that she is missing?" Gwen called. She had really grown to like the woman, she was kind and honest. Morgana found her company so enjoyable, and so did Gwen.

"Nah. I mean, not yet. I'm sure she is here somewhere. No point in worrying him just yet. I will go and look for her myself once I've dealt with him." He pointed at the door, which he was getting ready to open. Gwen only nodded at him before walking off.

Merlin let out a sigh of relief once she was gone and quickly stepped through the wooden door. He didn't know what to think of the sight before him. Arthur and Lillian were both in the bed, entangled in not only the sheets, but each other. She was resting against him, a hand firmly clasping one of his. And Arthur had his free arm around her, holding her closer.

As much as he didn't want to, he knew he had to wake the prince up. He done his best to be quiet, his mission was to get Arthur up, not to disturb Lillian. Once he was around the side of the bed where Arthur was peacefully sleeping, he began to whisper in the prince's ear.

"Arthur." He hissed quietly. "Arthur." The prince still didn't move. "Time to wake up oh prince of arrogance." That seemed to do the trick. Arthur's eyes flew open, and his mouth did as well. Merlin quickly put a finger against his own lips and pointed to the princess still sleeping away.

Arthur looked over at her and couldn't stop the smile that had taken over his face. The smile didn't last long, because he knew that he had to move now. "Do you think I should wake her?" Arthur asked, keeping his eyes locked on her face.

"Gwen's already been looking for her. She's ready to demand a search party to go find her." Merlin told his master with a grin on his face.

The prince let out a sigh. He knew he had to wake her up. "Lillian, time to wake up now." He whispered, brushing some of her hair away from her face. "Come on Lily, you can't stay in bed all day." Slowly she started to stir, moving away from the prince a little.

"Go away, Pendragon. I need my beauty sleep." She mumbled into the pillow.

Arthur laughed. "Why? It's not going to do you any good." That was a mistake. Lillian grabbed the corner of the pillow and hit Arthur around the face with it. "What was that for?" He bellowed at her after glaring at a laughing Merlin.

"I'm still mad with you. Are you trying to make things worse by saying horrible things to me?" She asked, finally pulling herself to sit up.

"I thought you had forgiven me for what I said last night?" He asked her, getting up from the bed and sitting down at the table where Merlin had placed his breakfast.

"What ever gave you that impression?" She said innocently, as she also got out of the bed. "And you just basically called me ugly. I think I have every right to put you through hell now." Lillian grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table and took a bite out of it.

"No, I did not call you ugly. I simply meant that you didn't need any beauty sleep." Arthur protested. He knew that getting on her bad side first thing in the morning was never a good thing.

"It is what you implied, sire." Lillian said, glaring at him. "One moment it seems as if I know you, where you're kind and caring. Then I see this side of you, and I wonder who the hell you are." She quickly turned on her heel and swept out of the room before another word could be said by anyone.

Arthur just sat there, staring at the closed door. "I really am in trouble now." He mumbled before turning around to his servant. "Merlin, what exactly did I say to offend her?"

"Well, you did pretty much call her ugly, sire." The warlock was trying his hardest not to laugh. It seemed that Lillian was good at getting the upper hand against the prince.

"I did not call her ugly. Why on Earth would either if you think that?"

"You told her that beauty sleep wasn't going to do her any good." Arthur let out a groan as his friend told him exactly what he had said.

"I was only trying to say that she doesn't need any beauty sleep. She is beautiful already." He said the last part so quietly that Merlin wasn't sure he heard him right.

"Did you just call Lady Lillian beautiful?" Merlin asked, leaning a little closer.

"Yes. Now shut up, Merlin, and get on with your chores." Arthur ordered. Merlin nodded at him and quickly left the room after collecting the prince's dirty washing.

"_Arthur was only trying to say that you didn't need any beauty sleep, because he already thinks you're beautiful."_ Merlin told her as he walked through the castle.

"_Don't try to cover up for him, Merlin. I meant what I said about not knowing who he is anymore. Last night was the first time I really felt that we understood each other. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone." _Merlin could tell that Lillian was sad and upset, but she was determined to keep strong and not let Arthur ruin her day. _"I'm going to get dressed and see Morgana. Do not tell Prince clotpole where I am."_

Lillian grabbed a dress from the wardrobe. It would seem that all the belongings that she had in the room by Morgana had already been moved. It didn't take her long to get herself ready and head out to find Morgana.

"Lillian! Where have you been? Gwen and I have been worried sick. She told me she couldn't find you and that your bed had not been slept in." Morgana said, hugging the woman tightly in the corridor.

"No need to worry about me, Morgana. I simply couldn't sleep last night, I was too worried about that intruder." Lillian said, trying to calm the woman.

"But you weren't in your room and your nightgown was missing." Morgana told her, finally letting her go.

"Merlin must have taken it for washing along with Arthur's things." She really didn't want everyone to know that she spent the night in Arthur's bed, with him. _"Merlin, grab my nightgown. If anyone asks, you took it to wash along with Arthur's things. Got it?"_

"_Sure. Is everything okay?"_ He asked her.

"_Yes, cover up story to Morgana. What on Earth was I thinking last night?"_ Merlin could tell that she was annoyed at herself for what had happened.

"_You were tired and worried. I'm sure everything will be fine."_ He assured her.

"Lillian? Is everything okay?" Morgana had been talking, but her friend had not been listening to her at all.

"Of course it is. Now, what shall we do today that will annoy the prince?" Lillian said, linking her arm through Morgana's.

The other woman frowned at her. "Have you had another falling out?"

Lillian shifted a little under her gaze. "No, of course not."

Luckily, Morgana didn't press the matter as they wandered through the castle. "I can't believe I have to sleep down the same corridor as Uther."

"I'll trade rooms with you. I'm back next to Arthur." Lillian said, a disgusted look on her face.

Morgana laughed. "On second thought's, it isn't so bad near Uther."

Lillian suddenly clutched her head in pain. "Lillian, are you okay?" Morgana asked in concern.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly to try and block out the pain, but it didn't help. She had no idea what was happening, all she knew was that her head felt like Arthur had been pounding her with a mace for hours.

"Gwen, go fetch Gaius. I'll get Lillian back to her room." Morgana said, holding onto Lillian tightly so she didn't fall into a heap on the floor.

"I'm fine, Morgana. It's just a headache." Lillian assured her, but Morgana wasn't so easily convinced.

"I don't care. Come, Gwen will bring Gaius to your chamber." She helped her friend along the corridor and to her room. Once there were there, Morgana forced her friend to sit on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my head is on fire." Lillian mumbled. She had gotten headache like that before, but they usually passed within a few minutes. This one, however, seemed to want to hang around for a little bit longer.

Morgana started pacing the room, she didn't really know what else to do to help her friend. All she could do was wait for Gwen to return with Gaius. Luckily, it wasn't long before they both burst through the door.

"Lillian? What happened?" Gaius asked, going over to the bed and helping her to sit up.

"It's just a headache, Gaius. I will be fine soon. Don't worry." She assured him, just like she had tried to assure Morgana and Gwen.

"When did it start?" He asked her softly, going through his bag and pulling out different vials.

"A little while ago, it wasn't too bad then. Now my head feels like it is burning." She mumbled. "I will be fine, you are all worrying over nothing."

"When was the last time you had one as bad as this?" The physician asked her, keeping a single vial in his hand.

"I can't remember. Years ago, I think." She really couldn't remember, and with the way her head was feeling now, she wasn't even going to try to remember.

"Here, drink this. It will make you feel a little drowsy, but it will help to ease the pain." Gaius told her, handing her the vial. "Best drink it all at once."

Lillian took it from him and held it tightly. "This is going to knock me out completely for a while, isn't it, Gaius?" She asked, knowing from experience that he would tend to knock her out if he was that concerned about her.

"Yes, but it is for the best. You need to sleep it off, and you know that as well." Lillian nodded at him and downed the contents of the glass vial. She rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes.

"Will she be alright, Gaius?" Morgana asked. It was clear that she was worried about her friend.

"In a day or so, yes. Do you not remember the headaches she used to suffer as a child?" Morgana shook her head at him, she didn't remember that at all. "When she was younger she used to get headaches which would cause her to become even more ill. The only way to control it was for her to sleep it off. One time she slept for almost a week because of how serious it was."

Gwen and Morgana just looked at him in shock. Neither of them had known that about her. "Do you know what causes them?" Gwen asked, looking at the woman who now seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

"I'm afraid I do not. It could be down to stress and worry, things haven't exactly been quiet around here recently. I know she has been worrying about Arthur a lot, and with what happened to her parents, it is only to be expected."

The three of them left her alone in her room, knowing that there was nothing else that they could do for her now.

It was almost three days later when Lillian finally decided to wake up properly. There were times when she did seemed to wake, but she very drowsy and no one could really understand what she was saying. They weren't even sure that she knew what she was saying either.

She rolled over onto her side, hugging the covers closer to her before slowly opening her eyes. She was greeted by the blue eyes of Arthur. "May I enquire as to what you are doing there?" Lillian said groggily.

"Watching you sleep. I notice you still seem to talk in your sleep." He answered, a smug grin on his face.

"And why were you watching me sleep? Do you not have better things to do with your time?" She asked, closing her eyes again.

"I hope you're not going back to sleep again. You've already wasted three days." Her eyes flew open and she stared at him. "You don't remember, do you?" She shook her head at him. She had no idea what was going on. "You had one of your headaches."

"Well, I don't have a headache anymore. Have I missed much?" She asked him, deciding to sit herself up in the bed. She noticed that it was getting late into the afternoon judging by the position of the sun.

"Not really. My father is holding a feast when your brother arrives, and I was hoping that you would be awake by then to join us." Lillian watched him closely, she was sure he was up to something, again.

"I think I'll pass. One feast this year has been enough for me." She knew that she wasn't going to be able to get out of going, but she was at least going to try.

"If I asked to accompany you, would you change your mind?" Arthur asked her, a little glint visible in his eyes.

"I most certainly would not. If anything, it would make me more determined not to go." She said in a huff.

"You're still upset with me, aren't you?" Arthur asked, letting out a sigh and leaning back in the chair.

"However did you guess?" Lillian replied sarcastically while looking out the window. She couldn't believe she had been asleep for three days. She remembered waking up in Arthur's bed, then going to see Morgana, then everything was blank.

"Lillian, I did not mean to offend you. All I was trying to say was that you do not need sleep to be beautiful. You are one of the most beautiful people I have ever had the pleasure to meet." He told her, his cheeks flushing a little.

She rolled her eyes at him. "You need to start thinking before you open that enormous mouth of yours. I'm sure that sounded fine in your head, but really, Arthur?" Lillian was most certainly not ready to forgive him just yet.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn all the time?" He asked in frustration as he stood up.

"Because if I wasn't, you'd walk all over me. And we both know that is one thing that is never going to happen." She told him, not caring very much about the annoyed look on his face.

Before Arthur had a chance to respond the door flew open and Merlin stood there, his eyes wide and a grin on his face. "You're awake!" He cried, seeing Lillian sitting her bed. "Your brother is here."

Lillian jumped out of the bed and grabbed the first dress she got her hands on before darting behind the changing screen. "Merlin, stay exactly where you are." She called, knowing that he was about to creep out of the room.

He stood there waiting for another minute before Lillian appeared, dressed and ready to go. "Right, if you will excuse me, sire, I should go and welcome my brother." She said, pushing Merlin out of the door and following behind him. Once they were away from her door she looked at the warlock seriously. "Okay, Merlin, I want the truth. What happened around here while I was out of it?"

"Did Arthur not tell you?" Lillian shook her head at him. "Arthur helped a druid boy escape from Camelot. Uther was going to execute the boy."

"He most certainly did not tell me any of that. The druid boy, was his name Mordred?" she asked, looking slightly worried.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Because even when I was asleep, I heard him. You know who Emrys is now at least." She told him as they carried on walking. "I also know that Kilgharrah told you not to save him." Merlin looked at her in shock, not knowing how she knew any of this. "Just because I was sleeping, doesn't mean I couldn't feel everything that you felt. It was a hard choice to make, Merlin."

"But what if he really is destined to kill Arthur? And I helped him to escape?" Lillian could tell that he was worried.

"You helped to save a boys life. What he does from now on is his choice. From what I can see, he is now indebted to Arthur." She assured him as they reached the room in which her brother was waiting for her.

"Well, good luck." Merlin said, nudging her forward a little.

"Yeah, thanks. I'm going to need more than luck here." She told him, before taking a deep breath and knocking on the door lightly.

A deep voice from within called for her to enter. She gave Merlin one last look before opening the door and stepping inside. Lillian barely registered what happened next as she felt someone squeezing all the air out of her.

"Lil's, I'm so glad you're safe. I was so worried about you, especially when I found out you were in Camelot. Are you okay?" The man holding her finally let her go a little and she looked up to see her brother.

"I'm fine. You may have crushed my ribs slightly, but I will survive." He began hugging her again, although not a fiercely. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Lil's. I have so much to tell you." He told her, dragging her over to the table. "But first, are you really okay?" There was so much concern in his voice and etched across his face.

She looked at her brother, King Irwin of Rolana, and began nodding her head. He frowned at her and she started shaking it, and the tears began to stream down her face. "I let our parents die. I didn't do anything to save them, I just ran away." She said, sobbing into her brother's arms.

"Lillian, it was not your fault. I know that they would have told you to run, they would not have given you a choice. I'm just glad that you are safe." Irwin said, wrapping his arms around her tighter.

"Why did you never come and see us? Why did you never invite us home?" She asked him between her sobs.

"What are you talking about? Of course I invited you home. In fact, on several occasions, I demanded that you return. But mother and father thought you needed more time." He told her, lightly stroking her hair as he tried to calm her down.

"Why would I need more time? I wanted to go home. I was living so close to Camelot, I was scared."

"Lil's, they didn't want to take you away from Camelot. They thought that if they took you farther away, you would hate them even more." Lillian started at him comment. Was that really what her parents thought?

"I never hated them to begin with. I was upset with having to leave Camelot in the first place. And then when we had that argument, and we left Rolana, I was lost, I didn't know what to do anymore." She told him, the tears still steadily flowing.

"Lil's, you understand the reasons why I didn't want you coming back here?" She nodded at him. "I'm sorry for everything that happened, I truly am. How have you been… handling being in Camelot?"

Lillian knew exactly what he was talking about. "I met Kilgharrah." Irwin gasped at that piece of information. "That was an interesting conversation."

"What did he say?" Her brother asked, knowing that something must have been said. They both knew about the great dragon, and if she had spoken to him, he knew that it must have been important.

"Oh, you really don't want to know. Trust me, I still refuse to believe it. But, on a brighter note, I have met the one they call Emrys." She said with a smug grin on her face.

"You… you've met him?" Irwin asked her in shock. She just nodded at him. "How, where?"

Lillian shrugged. "Just around. He is nothing like I imagined him." She thought about Merlin, and how he was a servant, and clumsy. "I've been keeping my head down, and Gaius is always looking out for me."

"Gaius is still here?" Irwin asked, a smile on his face.

"Yes, he has been looking after me a lot since I have been here." She told him, finally wiping her eyes dry.

"Has Arthur been using you for target practice already?" Irwin asked her seriously.

"No, I had one of those headaches. I actually only woke up a little while ago, just before Merlin told me you were here. I rushed to get changed and came straight here."

There was a knock at the door and Lillian let out a sigh before getting up and moving over to the door. "If it's Arthur, I want a new dress." She whispered as she put her hand on the door.

"Anyone else, you have to clean my armour." Irwin said, a smirk on his face.

She shrugged and pulled the door open. "Arthur, how nice to see you." She said in the sweetest voice she could manage. "May I help you with something?" She stepped aside and let the Prince into the room.

"Prince Arthur, it is good to see you again." Irwin said, getting up and greeting him. "I trust you have been looking after my little sister while she has been here?"

"I'll start the design now, shall I?" Lillian interrupted, going and sitting back down.

Arthur just looked at her as if she was mad while Irwin shook his head at his sister, still with a smile on his face. "She has spent more time sleeping than she has been awake for since she has been in Camelot." Arthur pointed out. "She did, however, notice an intruder several nights ago."

Lillian just shrugged when her brother looked at her. "I'm sure one of the guards would have noticed them. It was just luck."

"Do you plan on staying in Camelot for long?" Arthur asked. Lillian couldn't help but wonder if he was up to something. There was something about the look on his face that said he was.

"I may be here for some time. Your father and I have matters of state to discuss. We intend on going over our peace treaty and forming a stronger alliance. I feel that it is only right to do so since it was my father who settled the last one." Irwin answered.

Lillian wasn't surprised by his answer. She knew her brother and had already worked out that he would want to look over the treaty and make it stronger now he was king. She was just worried what else he was going to do while he was there, and if any of it concerned her.

"I have noticed that Lillian's skills with a sword have improved. I would be honoured if you would join me and my knights for training one day." Lillian looked between the two men, of course she knew her brother was going to accept.

"_Merlin, come and save me, please. Me brother and Arthur are going to start talking about battle strategies any second now."_ Lillian cried, wanted to find an escape. She didn't want to be stuck in there while that was going on. She loved her brother dearly, and she was glad to see him, but it was not something she wanted to have to listen to.

"_Bored with your brother already?" _He asked her, sounding rather amused.

"_Please, I am begging you, come and save me from this nightmare."_ She could tell that Merlin was laughing at her.

"I hear there is a very special day coming up for Camelot." Irwin said as Lillian drew her attention back to the conversation in the room.

"My father has already told you?" Arthur asked in shock.

"Indeed he has, and I am glad that we could both be present for the occasion."

Lillian looked at them in confusion. "Why, what's happening?" She wondered.

"Ah, that is not my place to tell you, dear sister." Her brother answered, a very smug look on his face.

"Well then whose place is it to tell me?"

Before anyone could answer, there was another knocking on the door. "Sorry to disturb you, My Lord's, Lady Lillian. Morgana has been asking to see you ever since she discovered you were awake, Lady Lillian." Merlin told her from the door.

"Thank you, Merlin." She said, standing from her chair. "I will speak with you later, Irwin. There is still much we need to catch up on." Lillian said as she hugged him tightly. "Prince Arthur." She curtseyed to him before fleeing the room with Merlin.

"Morgana does actually want to see you. She's been worried." Merlin told her as they walked through the castle.

"Merlin, do you know what's going on? Is there some big event that is happening that I'm not allowed to know about?" She asked him, trying to work out for herself what it would possibly be.

"Arthur's coronation." The warlock answered, turning the corner and heading up the stone stairs. "Did he not tell you about it?"

"No, he did not. But my brother knows all about it." She let out a sigh. "I can't wait for this all to be over so that I can go home."

"Still think you're going to leave Camelot with your brother then?" Merlin asked her.

"Of course I am. I made my decision. When my brother leaves, I leave, it's as simple as that. I'm not going to stay here longer than I need to, Merlin." She told him as they stopped outside of Morgana's chamber. "When did Morgana move back over here?" She asked, realising they were at Morgana's old chamber.

"She demanded to be moved back the day the druid boy showed up. There was a huge argument between her and Uther, but she got her way in the end." Merlin told her, knocking on Morgana's door.

Gwen opened the door and smiled at the pair. "Lillian, you're looking much better."

"Thank you, Gwen. I'm feeling better, and can not wait to get back to Rolana now that my brother is here." She told her, stepping inside the room.

"Did I hear that you are still planning on leaving me here, Lillian?" Morgana called from behind the changing screen.

She sighed. "Yes, you heard right. I am still leaving so you all need to accept that." She told her as she plonked herself down in a chair at the table.

"I don't believe you." Morgana told her, stepping out from behind the screen and sitting at the table. "There is no way Arthur is going to let you leave."

"Will everyone just shut up about Arthur?" Lillian cried. "It is my life and my choice. If I wish to leave then I shall leave. It has nothing to do with that arrogant, obnoxious, self obsessed prince." She said, before getting up and leaving the room.

"Is it me, or was she really defensive about something there?" Merlin asked, looking at the women who were shocked at the outburst.

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**A/N: Okay, so I'm not going to do the episode with Mordred in, and I have my reasons. Which you shall all find out in due course.**

**I'm still debating about putting the other Merlin story up. What I have written so far, has not involved any episodes, but if it does, it will probably be starting with series 2.**

**Anyway, sending a virtual cookie to anyone who can work out what's so special about Lillian. I promise you will find out by the end of Le Morte d'Arthur.**

**Remember, I do love your reviews.**

**Pippa.**


	9. Time to Change

**A/N: Big thank you to all who reviewed, I love you guys so much. And also to those who favourited/followed.**

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Lillian stormed back to her chamber. She was so fed up of everyone poking their noses into her life and her business. If she wanted to go back to Rolana, then she was going to go, no one was going to stop her.

"Ah, Lillian, there you are." Arthur called, as she approached her chamber.

"Leave me alone, Arthur." She told him, not even bothering to look at him.

"Is anything the matter?" He asked, knowing that something was clearly wrong.

"I said, leave me alone!" She shouted. "Why can people never do as I ask? Why does everyone think they know what's best for me? Why can't I be the one to decide what happens in my life?" Lillian continued to shout. She was truly fed up now. No one had the right to tell her what to do, and she was going to make damn sure that she didn't listen to them anymore.

She opened the door to her chamber and stepped inside, shutting the door and locking it behind her. She was angry, and it was very rare for her to be as angry as she was. She picked up the jug of water sitting on the table and threw it hard at the door.

Arthur had still been standing on the other side of the door when something hit it from the other side. He knew in an instant that she was very angry, and very upset. His main priority now was to find out why, so he decided to pay a visit to Morgana.

"What did you say to Lillian?" He demanded, barging into Morgana's room without bothering to knock.

"Do you not know how to knock, Arthur?" Morgana spat at him, clearly not impressed with his bold entrance.

"Lillian is currently destroying her chamber, and I want to know what you said to her to upset her so much." His voice was rising as he spoke.

"I just told her how I didn't think you would let her go back to Rolana with her brother. It's clear as day that you want her to stay and would do anything to convince her to." Morgana said, trying not to show the Prince her fear of his current mood.

"You had no right to say that to her, Morgana. There is no hope in anyone being able to convince her to stay now. She will not even speak with me." The tension was thick, and Morgana looked at the floor, a little ashamed of herself. She had never meant to cause problems, she just wanted her friend to stay.

Arthur turned on his heel sharply and left the room, walking straight into Merlin. "Merlin, I want you to try and talk to Lillian. You may be the only person capable of getting through to her." Arthur said, knowing that she trusted his servant for some strange reason.

"This is about what Morgana said to her isn't it?" The warlock asked.

"Yes. I've never seen her so angry and upset before. If someone doesn't calm her down, you're going to have a lot of work cleaning up the chamber she is currently destroying." The last word had barely escaped his mouth when the dark haired boy began his run.

"_Lillian? Is everything alright?"_ He asked, but had no response. _"Lillian please, talk to me. Morgana never should have said that. None of us knew how much it would upset you."_

"_No one in this stupid place thinks before opening their mouths. I'm sick of it, Merlin. I want to go home."_ Through their bond he knew how she was feeling. She was hurting, she was upset, but most of all she was confused.

He stopped outside her chamber and glanced around the corridor, it was empty. He muttered something under his breath and the door unlocked. He took a deep breath before entering the room. The first thing he saw was a completely destroyed table, along with several broken chairs.

He locked the door again, his eyes flashing gold as he used his magic, before looking at Lillian. She was huddled up in the corner of the room on the floor. "Lillian, you know I want you to stay just as much as everyone else does, but I also know there is not point trying to convince you not to leave." He told her, sitting down on the cold floor with her.

"But you're going to anyway." She mumbled, not looking over at him but keeping her gaze focused on the wall opposite her.

"Nope. I already tried. If you want to leave, then you want to leave. I know I wouldn't like it to be forced to stay somewhere that I didn't want to be."

"Merlin, I don't know what to do. At first, I was fully convinced that leaving was the right thing to do. Then things happened, and I was starting to like it here, but now…" She let out a sigh. "I'm so confused." A few tears began to run down her cheeks.

"Well, your brother is staying for a while, so you still have some time to decide what you are going to do. Weight up all the good points against the bad." He suggested.

"Good points, well there's you. You're my friend, that's a good reason to stay. I guess Morgana and Gwen are kind of good points as well. Bad points would be Arthur, that's a definite. Uther and his ban on magic, someone could get killed." Merlin knew exactly what she was talking about. If Uther ever found out about her, she would be executed.

"So you have friends here, that's one reason to stay. And I would say Arthur was a good point and a bad point. He does care about you." Merlin told her. He could see just how much his master cared, but the Prince had never been good with feelings and emotions.

"That man only cares about himself. He's changed, Merlin. He isn't the same person that I used to know. He used to be my best friend, Merlin, and yet I still kept secrets from him. I still am keeping secrets." Lillian told him, letting out a sigh.

"We both know why you have never told him. Maybe one day you can tell him, and everything will be fine." Merlin tried to assure her.

"No, he will just hate me for having kept it a secret from him for so long. I'm better off leaving. I never should have come back here in the first place. I should have gone straight back to Rolana as soon as I found out where I was." She insisted. Of course, that wasn't how she was really feeling, she was just trying to convince herself that leave was the only option she had left.

"Just take your time to think about it. Don't rush into a decision that you're going to regret."

Lillian smiled at him before waving her hand towards the table and chairs. Her eyes flashed gold and the room seemed perfectly normal. The table and chairs were back in their original position, completely repaired.

"Arthur's going to get suspicious. He think's you've pretty much destroyed this room." Merlin told her, chuckling away.

"Well, you can tell him you got here just in time to stop me. Or would you rather have to clean it all up?" She asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Good job I got here before you trashed the place." He said, making Lillian laugh a little.

"I'm glad that you're my friend, Merlin. I don't have many, especially not ones I can tell everything to." There was a gentle knocking at the door. "Go away." Lillian shouted, not in the mood to talk to anyone else.

"Oh, that's a fine way to speak to your brother who you haven't seen in years, isn't it?" Irwin's voice called through the door. Lillian sighed and waved her hand at the door, unlocking it, as she and Merlin both got off the floor.

Her brother quickly stepped inside and glared at her. "Lillian!" He growled at her.

"Oh, calm down. You sounded just like father then. Merlin knows, alright? And I trust him, he isn't going to tell on me." Lillian replied to her brother, going and sitting down at the table. "What do you want, anyway?" She asked, trying to sound bored.

"Arthur told me what happened. You need to decide what you want to do. I'm happy for you to stay in Camelot, but I'm happy for you to come back to Rolana as well. But it has to be your choice and no one else's."

Lillian let out a sigh. "Yeah, I know. Merlin has been telling me pretty much the same thing. He doesn't want me to go, but isn't going to stop me."

"Well, I have spent most of the day with Uther and now I am to join him for dinner. I believe there is going to be a feast tomorrow, which you will be attending." Lillian let out a groan. She had already told Arthur she didn't want to go. "None of that, and if Arthur asks to accompany you, then you accept his offer."

"Too late. I already told him I was not going and would certainly not be going with him." She said, folding her arms across her chest. She knew what was coming next, the great big speech about her being a princess and that she needed to start acting like one.

"Lillian, Uther has been kind enough to let you stay here. You will do well to remember your place. You are…"

"Princess of Rolana, and as such I should start acting like it. Heard it all before. You really are starting to sound more and more like father." She said letting out another sigh. "Fine. If I have to go to this stupid feast with the arrogant prat of a prince then I will. But I am not going to enjoy myself."

"Good, because you need to be at his chambers in later for dinner with him." Irwin said, getting up from where he was sitting.

"I'm sorry, what?" Lillian asked in shock. "Are you trying to set me up with that clotpole?"

"Lillian!" Irwin scowled at her for language. "If you do not hold your tongue then I will make sure that when you make your decision, I will grant the opposite. Is that clear?"

She sunk back in the chair. "Crystal." She mumbled, watching her brother leave the room. "Dollop head." She said quietly once the door was closed and she was sure he wasn't listening. "And this is my life, Merlin. What do you think?"

The warlock was stood in the corner, he had been determined to keep out of the way. "Um, well, your brother seems nice. And forceful. I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of him."

"Even he is trying to control my life. Sometimes I think it would just be easier if I ran away from it all."

Eventually Merlin left her to get ready for her dinner with Arthur, not that she was looking forward to it. She insisted that she would rather be thrown in the stocks then have to dine with him again.

She soon found herself standing outside of his chamber, tugging at her dress. "Good evening, Lillian." Arthur said as he opened the door and let her in. "I hope you are feeling better."

"I am feeling fine, thank you, sire." She was still angry, and Arthur could tell by the way she had called him sire.

"I hear that my father and your brother are doing well with the treaty. It seems there are many changes to be made which will strengthen both our kingdoms." He told her, pulling out a chair for her to sit.

"My only concern is where I fit into these changes." She mumbled, only Arthur had been right behind her when she had spoke so managed to hear every word of it.

"What do you mean by that, Lillian?" He asked, sitting down opposite her.

"My brother has already told me that I am the Princess of Rolana, and that I should remember my place. I am a princess, I have no control over my own life." She told him, staring at the plate of food in front of her. Even though she hadn't eaten in days, she wasn't very hungry.

"I'm sure that's not how it is. He only wants what's best for you." Arthur told her. Even though he would never admit it, he wanted what was best for her as well.

"Yes, and knowing my luck that would be by selling me off to the highest bidder as a wife. You know how these things work, Arthur, arranged marriages between kingdoms to form alliances." Arthur knew she was right. It always happened, and it always would happen. He had been in countless arguments with his father over the years about marriage,

"Lillian, your brother wouldn't do that to you. Especially not now, after everything that has happened." He assured her, but it done very little to help.

"My parents aren't here to protect me anymore. He can do what he pleases with me if it is beneficial to the kingdom." Lillian told him, trying not to break down and cry. She had so many thoughts running through her mind, and she just couldn't sort them out.

The rest of the meal passed by with little talk. Arthur knew that Lillian was thinking a lot, and she had hardly eaten anything. He was thinking about a lot as well, mainly the woman sitting before him.

When they had been growing up, they had been so close, the best of friends. They would laugh together, get into trouble together, and always be there when the other needed help or comforting. Since she had returned, his feelings had been a mess. One moment he would want to just grab her hand and take her away from the castle, while at other times he wanted nothing more than to throw her out of Camelot.

It was amazing how quickly she could change his moods. She could pick him up if he was down or stamp him down like he was nothing more than an irritating bug. But even after everything, he could never bring himself to not like her.

"Lillian, would you reconsider my offer of accompanying you to the feast tomorrow?" Arthur asked suddenly. It even took her by surprise.

"Has my brother put you up to this?" She asked wearily.

"No, he hasn't. I understand if the answer is still no, but I just wanted to ask you again, in the hope that maybe you would change your mind." He said, hopefully.

She let out a sigh as her brothers words came back to her. She really didn't have a choice in the matter. "Yes, I would be honoured to attend the feast with you." She answered quietly.

Arthur could tell from the way she responded that there was something wrong. "Lily, look at me." She pulled her head up and their eyes met. "I don't want you to do something that you don't want to. If you really don't want to go with me, that's fine."

"If I had my way, I wouldn't be going at all. But since I must attend, I may as well go with my best friend." There was a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Oh, so we're still best friends are we? I thought you hated me?" Arthur replied, playfully.

"Hating you is part of being best friends. No matter how much I hate you, or want to hate you, I simply can not do it for long." Lillian told him, doing her best not to let that little smile that was tugging at the corner of her lips win.

"I'm glad that we are still friends, Lillian. I know that things haven't exactly been going well between us since you returned. I was hoping, that maybe you would consider starting over? Forget what has happened with us recently and just be friends?" He wanted her to say yes, he wanted to have another chance at being there for her. Most of all, he wanted to see her smile and be happy.

"I think I can manage that." She told him, giving him a half hearted smile. She didn't like it when they argued, she hated being upset with him for any reason.

It wasn't long before Lillian returned to her chamber and went to bed. Her head was full of thoughts and questions. There was so much that she needed to work out, so many decisions that she needed to make, but she didn't know how to make them.

As she settled down in her bed, she realised that she had been pretty nasty to Arthur recently. When she thought hard, she realised that he hadn't really done anything to deserve her spiteful attitude. She had been taking everything out on him when he had done nothing wrong.

Lillian knew that she needed to change things if she was ever going to be happy. She also knew that she had to do as her brother asked her, otherwise he really would make her life hell. That's when she broke down in tears. She had been trying not to think about her parents, she wanted to stay strong through all of it, but she couldn't, she knew she couldn't. That night, Lillian cried herself to sleep.

"Do you think we should wake her?" A woman's voice calling through the air.

"No, Gwen. Let her sleep. If Arthur knew I was in here he would surely start shouting at me." Another woman said.

"Do you think she will wear it tonight? I'm not sure she is even going to the feast going from what Merlin said." Gwen whispered.

"We will just have to wait and see, Gwen. It will be there if she wants to wear it. Come, there is still much we have to do."

Lillian stayed still in her bed until she had heard both the women leave. Once she was sure the coast was clear she rolled over and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a beautiful gown, in the red colour of Camelot. That was what Morgana and Gwen had been doing in her room, delivering the dress to her.

She threw off the covers and placed her feet on the chilly stone floor. It wasn't very early, the sun was well into the sky and everyone seemed to be busy getting on with their day. She slowly went and picked up the dress. Lillian knew that Gwen must have worked very hard on that dress for her, just like she had the dress she wore to the last feast.

Yes, she would wear it to the feast, there was no doubt about that. Gwen was always so nice to her and worked so hard all the time, she really didn't need to.

She hung the dress up in the wardrobe and picked out a more simple dress to wear for the day. It was a light green colour, with gold trim. She pulled out a matching pair of slipper shoes and quickly got dressed.

Lillian sat down at the dresser and started pulling a brush through her tangled hair. She had been so restless during the night that it had caused so many knots to form in her air. After finally braiding it to the side Lillian let out a sigh. It was a new day, and she was going to start making the most of what she actually had, while she could.

"Okay, time to go and face the world." She said to herself, heading for the door. Just as she was about to open the door, there was a familiar knocking on it. "Arthur, and what can I do for you this morning?" She asked cheerily, smiling at the blonde man before her.

"Lillian, I was wondering if you were doing anything today?" He asked, seeming a little nervous about something.

"I have nothing of importance planned. Did you have something in mind?" Lillian asked him, slightly enjoying his awkwardness.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk." He asked her, standing up straight and trying to overcome his nerves.

Lillian thought about things for a moment, they could get out of the castle for a few hours at least before she had to be dragged along to that feast in the evening. "I'd love to. Let's go." She said, stepping out of her room and closing the door behind her.

"You seem in a rather good mood this morning. Can I inquire as to why?" Arthur said, as they made their way across the courtyard.

"I've just decided to make the most of things while I'm here. Sulking and acting like a child is not going to get me anywhere." She told him as they passed some knight on the training ground.

Arthur stopped abruptly. "Who are you and what have you done with Lillian?" He asked, turning to face her.

"Oh, shut up, Arthur." She replied, giving him a playful nudge. "Whatever my brother decides, I know it will be for the best."

He just looked at her in surprise. He had never known her to be so submissive. "But I thought he was letting you decide what you wanted to do?"

Lillian let out a sigh. "He is, but only if I start acting how he wants me to. While he is in Camelot, I have to act like the good little princess he expects me to be. But once he is gone, you can expect me to be kicking your royal backside again."

"You're talking as if you are staying here and not returning to Rolana." Arthur pointed out as the continued to walk.

"Staying in Camelot is an option. I have not yet made a firm decision on what I am going to do. Maybe I will stay, maybe I won't. It's not something that I'm going to decide over night, Arthur. I really need to think about it, so please, don't pressure me about it."

He nodded at her and they carried on walking. Arthur finally told her about what happened with the druid boy, Mordred. Of course, she acted all surprised about it all, even thought she already knew what had happened.

"_Lillian, you're brother is looking for you."_ Merlin called in her mind. _"He wants to ask you about the feast tonight."_

"_Just tell him that Prince Arthur asked me and that I shall be attending."_ She told him.

"_Okay, but where are you? And have you seen Arthur? Everything has been quiet today and I haven't seen him anywhere."_ There was a little bit of concern for his master in his tone.

"_I have seen Arthur, in fact I am looking at those piercing blue eyes of his right now."_ Lillian replied without really thinking about it.

"_Piercing blue eyes?"_ Merlin questioned, wondering if he had actually heard her right.

"_What? I never said that. I said I'm with him now."_ She lied, trying to cover it up.

Merlin wasn't falling for it thought. _"No, you were definitely talking about his eyes. Are you starting to fall for the arrogant prince?"_ If Lillian had been able to see Merlin's face, she would have seen the grin that had taken over.

"_No. Now shut up, Merlin and go away."_ She snapped. No, she was not falling for her best friend. How could she? They had known each other pretty much all their lives. When they were younger, the idea of liking each other in that way repulsed them.

"Lillian, are you alright?" Arthur asked, bring her back to reality.

"Of course I am. Why do you even ask?" They were sitting down on the grass, looking out towards the forest. For a moment she had been lost in her thoughts.

"Well, you seemed to drift off into your own little world just then. Are you sure everything is alright? You're not feeling ill or anything are you?" She looked at him and saw the concern in his face. Arthur did care about her, he always had and always will.

"Honestly, Arthur, I'm fine."

They stayed there and talked for a good few hours. Occasionally a knight or someone would pass by and greet the pair, but they were mostly left in peace.

"Ah, there you both are." Merlin called as he finally found them both. He had been looking all over for them and had to speak with several knights who had seen them to find out where they were. "Shouldn't the pair if you be getting ready for the feast that is being held tonight?"

Lillian let out a sigh, she was actually enjoying her time outside with Arthur. "I suppose you are right, Merlin. It is getting late and I do not think Uther would be very happy if we were late for a second time."

Arthur was the first to stand up, and then he held out his hands to help Lillian. Once their eyes locked, Lillian felt like everything around them had come to a stop. She quickly recovered herself. "Thank you for today, Arthur. It was rather enjoyable."

The prince smiled at her. "I'm glad to see you happy." He told her, noticing how much brighter she had been during the day. "I shall see you later for the feast." He kissed the hand that he was holding before walking away with Merlin.

Lillian just stood there, not really knowing what had just happened or what she was meant to be doing. "Lady Lillian, did my eyes just see that? Did Arthur just kiss your hand?" Morgana asked, coming towards her.

"What? Um… I don't know what you are talking about." Lillian replied stubbornly.

There was a sly grin on the kings ward's face. "Then why are your cheeks turning red?"

Lillian let out a huff in annoyance. "Is there a reason you were watching us, Morgana?"

"I was looking for you, actually. Gwen and I wondered if you needed any help preparing for the feast tonight. We heard that Arthur had asked you and you accepted."

"I shall be going with the Prince, that is correct." She hadn't forgotten about what had happened the previous day with Morgana. She hadn't forgotten what she had said.

"Lillian, I'm sorry for what I said. I never meant to upset you or anything. I wasn't thinking clearly and I hope you can forgive me." The look on the woman's face made Lillian know she was being honest with her.

"It's fine, Morgana. Now, are you going to help me get ready or am I going to walk in there looking like I have just been dragged through the forest backwards?" She asked, linking her arm through Morgana's.

She just laughed and they started heading back to the castle together. Lillian had to admit, the day hadn't been too bad so far. She had gotten on well with Arthur and she had made up with Morgana. Maybe life in Camelot wasn't too bad after all. Maybe she could stay there, she really did have friends there who cared about her.

A few hours later, Morgana had left to attend the feast while Lillian nervously paced her chamber waiting for Arthur to come for her. She wasn't as nervous as she had been for the last feast, this one was more about her brother and not her. The problem was, she knew eyes were still going to be on her that night.

There was a rapping on the door, and she took a deep breath before pulling it open. Arthur stood there, not knowing what to say. Lillian thought his eyes would pop out of his head at any minute.

"Arthur, if you don't close your mouth, you're going to catch flies." She told him folding her arms across her chest.

He immediately shut his mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out. "I… um… you…" She had to stop herself from laughing at the way he was stuttering. He clearer his throat and tried to compose himself. "Lillian, you look beautiful." He managed to croak. "Red suits you."

"Thank you. I was wondering if you could help me with something before we go." She said, holding out the necklace he had given to her before the last feast. With a smile on his face it took it from her and attached it around her neck.

"You really do look lovely, Lily." Arthur told her as they made their way to where the feast was being held.

"I have to say, you're looking rather dashing yourself, sire." She told him, both smiling away.

* * *

**A/N: Things start to get a little more... complicated for Lillian soon. She's keeping more secrets than anyone really knows. Even Merlin doesn't know the truth, but he finds out, eventually. **

**Arthur and Lillian start getting along again, but is it really going to last long? I have done Excalibur and The Moment of Truth. You get to learn a lot more about Lillian in both of those. **

**The big secret is revealed in the last episode of the season. You'll all understand why soon. **

**Anyway, feel free to review, I do like reviews. **

**Pippa.**


	10. Excalibur Pt1

After surviving the feast, and the rest of the week without too many problems, Lillian found herself standing beside her brother watching the ceremony before her.

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions according to the statuses, customs and laws laid down by your forebears?" Uther asked, standing before his son.

"I do, sire." Arthur replied.

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgements?"

"I do, sire." Lillian let her smile spread further. She couldn't help but be proud of her friend.

"And do you swear allegiance to Camelot, now and for as long as you shall live?"

Arthur clutched hold of the sceptre his father was holding before him. "I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its people."

"Now being of age and heir apparent, from henceforth, you shall be Crowned Prince of Camelot." Uther declared, sending the whole hall into an eruption of applause. The crown on his blonde hair really did look good in Lillian's opinion.

As soon as Arthur stood he looked straight at Lillian, both of them were smiling away. Lillian was wearing a dress that her brother had brought with him, in the colours of Rolana. Sitting atop her head was her own headwear. She had protested against wearing her own crown at first, but her brother had reminded her that she was a Princess, and this was an important day. So eventually she relented and wore it.

"So, your best friend is now the Crowned Prince of Camelot. Are you going to treat him any differently now?" Irwin whispered to her.

"You must be joking. I get to tease him even more now." She told him, not taking her eyes off Arthur. She was going to tease him, of course she was, that's what friends do to each other. "He's Crowned Prince, I'm Crowned Princess, he will give as good as he gets. You should know that."

"Well, I'm just glad to see you happy for a change. The past few days have been rather nice." Irwin told her, hinting that he approved of her current attitude.

Lillian just smiled at him. _"So how does it feel to be servant to the Crowned Prince of Camelot?" _She asked Merlin, who was standing to the side with Gwen.

"_Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege."_ He replied.

She just smirked at him from where she was standing. _"You're proud of him, really. Even though you complain about him constantly."_

"_I am not."_ The warlock protested.

"_You are. I can see it in your face."_ Lillian told him mockingly. She knew he was proud, even if he didn't want to admit it.

"_Those socks are very clean. Of course I'm proud of them."_ Lillian had to hold in her laughter.

Suddenly one of the windows smashed and a knight in black amour burst through riding a black horse. Irwin quickly pulled Lillian behind him as he draw his sword, along with the knights of Camelot and Price Arthur.

"What in the devils name…" Uther said, watching and waiting.

The knight slowly approached where Arthur and the knights were standing, Lillian safely behind all the knights with Morgana. He stopped in front of Arthur and threw down his gauntlet.

"_Please don't pick it up, Arthur. Please don't pick it up._" Lillian thought hard. Merlin had heard her because he gave her an even more worried look.

Before Arthur had the chance to pick it up, one of the knights did. "I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge." One of the young knights said.

"Single combat. Noon tomorrow. Till the death." The mysterious knight told him before riding out of the room.

"Irwin, did you see his crest?" Lillian whispered to her brother. He just nodded at her, a grim look on his face. "This isn't going to end well is it?" That time he shook his head at her.

The hall erupted into chatter and the knights began to relax a little. Everyone was talking about the knight and Sir Owain.

"I think your crown slipped." Lillian told Arthur, pointing to his head. He quickly put a hand up to straighten it and she started to giggle. "You are so vain, Arthur Pendragon."

"Well, yours isn't exactly straight you know." He told her, fixing it for her. "There, much better."

Lillian just rolled her eyes at him. "I had it slanted for a reason." Arthur just raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to elaborate. "I was making a statement."

"And what statement was that?" He wondered, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"That no one is perfect. Especially not me. Okay so I was doing it more to annoy Irwin. He's the one who made me wear the stupid thing. Promise me that there won't be any more events where I have to wear the damn thing?" She begged, grabbing hold of Arthur's arm.

"And what's in it for me?" He asked, letting a grin spread across his face.

Lillian thought for a moment before an idea popped into her head. "I promise not to turn you down to any future feasts?"

The Prince considered it for a moment, he liked that idea. He could ask her to every single feast and she would have to accompany him. "Who said I would ask you to any more?"

She let out a sigh. "You just want to see me suffer, don't you oh Crowned Prince of Camelot."

"That's the plan." He told her, as Morgana walked over.

"I'm heading to my chamber. I don't think I can stay here any longer with what just happened." Morgana said, Gwen by her side.

"I'll come with you, Morgana. I'm annoyed that someone ruined Arthur's big day and it wasn't me. I had so many things planned, now I'm just disappointed." Lillian said, wrapping her arm around Morgana's. "See you late Crowned Prince of Camelot." She said, giving him a silly curtsey.

The three women walked back to Morgana's chamber in utter silence. What had happened had shocked everyone, and Lillian was only making jokes to try and keep herself together. She had been so terrified that Arthur was going to pick up the gauntlet, but now she was worried about Sir Owain.

Lillian had seen him in training, she knew he was a skilled warrior, but was he skilled enough? Even when they were back in Morgana's room, they mainly stayed quiet. Only the little words of reassurance coming from Lillian and Gwen's mouth about Sir Owain being alright.

Even when Arthur joined them, the air was tense. "He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet." Arthur growled from where he was standing beside Lillian.

"So put an end to it." Morgana told him, stepping towards him.

Arthur let out a sigh. "The challenge has been taken up. The fight cannot be stopped."

"Then fight in his place." She demanded.

"He can't." Lillian said quietly, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Sir Owain picked up the gauntlet. Owain is the one who must fight. That's the Knight's Code. He knew that." Arthur just looked at her in shock. Clearly he didn't know she knew so much. "Yes, Arthur, I'm more than just a pretty face." She said, patting him on the cheek, rather roughly.

"But it's a fight to the death!" Morgana shouted. She was acting like she was the only one who cared, when in fact, everyone cared, but no one knew how to do anything about it.

"I know." Arthur said softly.

"Standing around here arguing about it isn't going to make things any better." Lillian said, making her way to the door. "I will see you all in the morning."

Before she had gotten very far, Arthur was right behind her. "Lillian, is there anything the matter?" He asked as he caught up to her.

"If I said no, I'd be lying." She stopped and turned to face him. "I… I was scared that you were going to pick up the gauntlet. I know what you're like, Arthur, any chance to prove yourself to your father and the rest of Camelot."

He let out a sigh. "Lillian, you worry too much."

"No I do not, Arthur." She protested.

"Yes, you do. Look, I am one of the best warriors in the kingdom. I train my men to the highest standards." He told her, gazing into her eyes.

"Yes, and you were also beaten by a girl not so long ago." Lillian pointed out.

"But that girl was you, and your not just any girl. You've seen me fight enough times to know my strengths and weaknesses and take advantage of them." Lillian was starting to get frustrated with her friend now. "I don't understand why you are getting all worked up over this. It's not like you know Sir Owain very well."

That made Lillian snap. "I may not know Sir Owain very well, but I know he is a good and kind person. Tomorrow he will be going to his death, a death that could have been yours if you picked up that gauntlet. I don't want to see anyone die, and especially not you." She was actually holding back the tears now, but she was determined not to let Arthur see her cry.

The trouble was, Arthur could now see just how upset she was. "Lily, I promise you, everything will be fine." He told her, taking hold of one of her hands.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep." She whispered, before pulling her hand away and carrying on back towards her chamber. Arthur just stood there and watched her leave, he knew better than to chase after her when she was upset, it would only make things worse.

"_Merlin? Have you found anything out about that knight yet?"_ Lillian asked when she was safely back in her chamber.

"_Gaius says he didn't see it clearly, but I know he is lying. How's Arthur?"_ The warlock asked.

"_Don't talk to me about Arthur, he is being a prat, as always. Now that knight, my brother recognised the crest so Gaius has to know something about it."_ Lillian told him as she prepared herself for bed.

"_Maybe you should ask him about it."_

"_Yeah, but I can't right now. I almost burst into tears in front of Arthur. I've got a really bad feeling about all of this. If Sir Owain doesn't beat him, Arthur will want revenge and pick up the gauntlet."_ Lillian told him as she curled up in her bed.

"_Then tomorrow, we have a lot of work to do. I'll speak to you then. Good night Lillian."_

"_Good night, Merlin."_ She said, staring up at the canopy over her bed. The look on her brother's face told her it was bad. She just hoped that Sir Owain would be able to beat the knight.

The next morning, Arthur and Lillian both went to see Sir Owain. Lillian knew that the reason she was going was to help support Arthur. He didn't want to admit it, but he was worried for his knight. Merlin was there as well, helping Owain to get ready for the fight.

"You've never fought in mortal combat before. It's different. It's not like the training I've been giving you." Arthur said, watching him nervously.

"Yeah, I know." Sir Owain replied confidently.

"Listen to me. The problem is, we've never seen him fight. You have to quickly get the measure of him." The Prince insisted.

"But I have the same advantage. He's never seen me fight."

Lillian thought for a moment. "He has a point there." She mumbled. Arthur knew she didn't want any one to fight, because someone wouldn't be coming home.

"Both of you have watched me fight." Owain said, looking at the prince and princess who quietly nodded at him. Lillian had seen him many times in training, she knew he was skilled, but was it going to be enough? "And?"

"And I know no one braver." Arthur told him. "Remember, all it takes to kill a man is one well-aimed blow."

While Sir Owain took on board what Arthur was said, Gwen knocked and entered. She curtsied before stepping up to Owain. "The Lady Morgana asked me to give you this token. She wishes you to wear it for luck." Gwen told him, holding out a red ribbon to him.

"You can thank her, and tell her I shall wear it with pride. But I won't need luck." Owain said. Everyone else in the room looked at each other nervously.

While Arthur led Sir Owain to the tournament ground while Lillian sat down in the royal box. "The fight shall be to the knight's rule." Arthur announced. "To the death." He made his way in to the stand and took the chair between his father and Lillian. He gave her a small smile before turning back to face Owain. "Let battle commence!" He called.

The fight began and the Black Knight seemed to be battering Sir Owain into the ground. "Come on, Owain." Lillian mumbled, clutching her hands tightly. Arthur noticed her nervousness and gently took one of her hands.

Owain continued to get beat, and even Arthur started to get nervous. "One well-aimed blow!" He cried, as Owain was kneeled on the floor before the knight.

Lillian could have sworn she saw Owain thrust his sword through the armour of the knight, but he still stood. Sir Owain got back on his feet and took another battering. He was kicked to the ground and the Black Knight wasted no time in thrusting his sword into Sir Owain.

Lillian gasped in horror and tears began to fall down her face, as the man lay dead in the arena.

The knight wasted no time in approaching the box and throwing his gauntlet down again. "Who will take up my challenge?"

Arthur let go of Lillian's hand and went to jump over the barrier, only to be stopped by Uther. Instead, one of the knights took his chance.

"I, Sir Pellinor, take up your challenge."

"So be it." The Black Knight said, before leaving the arena.

"_Merlin, Owain struck him. How come's he just walked away like nothing had touched him?"_ Lillian cried.

"_I saw it as well. Gaius is suspicious too. Have you spoken to your brother?"_ He asked her.

"_I haven't had the chance. He has been with Uther all of the time."_ She said, looking to the other side of Uther where her brother was sitting.

"Lillian, are you alright?" Arthur asked her softly.

"No." she whispered. "I'm going back to my chamber." She told him, making a hasty exit and breaking into a run as soon as she was out of sight of everyone else.

She still couldn't believe what she had just seen. Once she made it to her chamber she locked the door and threw herself on her bed. Yet again Arthur had been prepared to pick up the gauntlet and risk his life. She would never let him do that, she couldn't. He meant more to her than she would care to ever admit to anyone.

"_Lillian? Are you okay?"_ Merlin called to her some time later.

"_What do you think?"_ She growled at him. _"Sorry, bad mood. Did you want something?"_

"_Gaius and I are going to investigate the crypts. You coming?"_

Lillian quickly pulled herself off the bed and unlocked her door. _"I'm on my way."_ She told him before running off to meet them.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Merlin asked as they walked down the tunnel towards the burial vaults.

"You're not scared, are you?" Lillian asked, a grin on her face.

"No, I love old crypts. I wouldn't be seen dead anywhere else." He answered, making Lillian laugh a little.

The door slammed behind them suddenly. "Must've been a gust of wind." Gaius announced, although none of them believed it. "We should've brought a torch."

Merlin smirked at Lillian. "Leothbora." He mumbled, making one of the torches on the wall come to life.

"Handy." Lillian said, her own smirk matching Merlin's.

They carried on making their way further and further down until they finally reached the tombs. "What are we looking for?" Lillian asked, looking at the resting places of long lost men.

"Bring your torch over here." Gaius said, paying attention to one particular tomb.

"We're breaking into someone's grave?" Merlin asked as they all stood around the tomb Gaius was interested in.

Lillian's eye widened in horror at what she saw. "Umm, I think we're too late. I think someone's already broken out." The tomb was smashed.

They hurried back to the chambers Merlin and Gaius shared. "Tristan Dubois was the brother of Ygraine, Uther's wife." The old physician told the pair.

"Arthur's mother." Lillian mumbled. She had heard storied about her from her parents. Her mother used to talk of her most fondly, they had been good friends.

Gaius nodded at her. "Ygraine died in childbirth. He blamed Uther and came to the gates of Camelot and challenged him." It was starting to make a little more sense now. "Uther won. But in his dying breath, Tristan cursed Camelot to one day suffer his return. I thought it was the ramblings of a dying man."

"Men don't just rise up from the dead, though, no matter how angry they are." Merlin stated.

Lillian let out a sigh. "He's a wraith. The spirit of a dead man conjured from the grave." Gaius and Merlin looked at her strangely. "Powerful magic can harness the grief and rage of a tormented soul and make it live again." Lillian's mind was racing. She was going through everything she had ever learnt, and all the things that she naturally seemed to know.

"How do we stop it?" Merlin asked her, hoping that she had the answer.

When she said nothing, only looked at the floor, Gaius spoke up. "We can't. Because it's not alive, no mortal weapon can kill it."

"Surely there must be something." The warlock protested.

"Nothing can stop it until it has achieved what it came for. Revenge." Lillian mumbled. "I'm going to my chamber. Good night Merlin, Gaius." She quickly made it out of the room and headed back to her own.

"Lillian, where have you been?" A voice called behind her. She turned around to see her brother frowning at her.

"Trying to find a way to stop that stupid wraith that is Tristan Dubois." She told him honestly.

"Ah, you know then?" She just nodded at him. "Lil's, you can not get involved. This is not your fight."

She glared at her brother. "If Arthur has to fight him, then it is my fight. Anything that concerns Arthur is my fight." She spat at him.

"Lillian…" Irwin's voice had gone very low, he was warning her.

"No. Arthur's battles are my battles. His pain is my pain. His happiness is my happiness." Her eyes were full of fire as she spoke with her brother. "If anything ever happened to him… I… I don't…" Her voice was softer and Irwin quickly held her as she broke down in tears.

"Oh, Lil's." He whispered, gently stroking her hair. He let out a sigh, understanding why his sister was so protective of her friend. "You really love him, don't you?" He asked her gently.

"No. How could anyone love that arrogant pig?" She mumbled into his chest.

He chuckled a little. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me? I've always known, Lil's."

She relented and let out a heavy sigh. "With all my heart, I love that stupid, pig-headed, arrogant, clotpole of a prince."

There was a smile on her brother's face. "And for how long?" He asked her.

"Since forever." She whispered to him. "But we are just friends, Irwin, that's all. I'm more like a sister to him than anything else."

He knew she was upset about that, but she would always put on a brave face. She would never do anything that could jeopardise her friendship with Arthur, and that was why he knew she would never tell him the truth about how she felt.

"Go." He said, pushing her away a little. "You need to get some rest. I'm afraid it's going to be another terrible and sad day for everyone tomorrow." He kissed the top of her head and she nodded at him.

"Good night, Irwin." She mumbled.

"Good night, Lillian." He said, watching her slowly walk away. Once he was gone he turned around to face the other way. "I know you're there, Merlin." He called.

The warlock stepped out from the corner and looked at the foreign king sheepishly. "I wasn't eavesdropping, My Lord. I promise." He said quickly. He had heard every thing.

"Now, Merlin, we both know you heard everything. And we both know you will say nothing of this to anyone. Lillian cannot know that you know as well. It has taken me years to get her to actually admit how she feels."

"I understand, My Lord. I would never tell a soul." He promised. "Princess Lillian is a wonderful person, with a kind heart. I hope that Prince Arthur can see what is right in front of him before it's too late."

"Lillian is lucky to have someone like you in her life. She needs a good friend."

Merlin nodded. "She is a good friend to me. She treats me like a person and not a slave all the time. She understands that I have feelings as well. She isn't like any of the royals or nobles I have ever met before."

"That is because there is no one else like her, Merlin. She's a lot more special than anyone knows." Merlin just nodded at him again, assuming that he was talking about her magic.

"I must get back to my work, My Lord." He said with a bow, before heading in the direction of Lillian's chamber. He was actually meant to be checking on her, he and Gaius had both been worried about her when she had told them about the wraith.

He was just walking down the corridor when the door to Prince Arthur's chamber sprang open. "Ah, Merlin, there you are." He said, not looking at all please. "I want you to keep a close eye on Lillian tomorrow. I know how much today upset her and I have hardly seen her since the fight."

"Her brother just asked me to check on her for him, he's worried as well." The warlock replied.

"Well? Go on then." Arthur said, pushing him towards the room next door. He wasted no time in knocking on the door for his servant.

They heard shuffling inside the room and the sound of the table being kicked, followed by someone cursing. When Lillian opened the door, she was already in her nightdress, not that she cared. "It's late, what do you want, Arthur?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

He immediately frowned at her. "Lillian, what's the matter?"

"Nothing. What do you want?" She asked again, leaning against her door a little.

"Well, I wanted to see how you were. Clearly it's a good job that I'm here." He said, completely forgetting that Merlin was there as well, and that it was he who was meant to be checking up on her.

'Arthur, I'm fine. I just want to go to sleep." She replied, letting out a sigh.

"You've been crying." He pointed out, taking a closer look at her eyes.

"So?"

"Come on." He said, taking hold of her hand and pulling her out of her room. "You're staying with me tonight. No arguments." She didn't struggle, she only closed her door behind her as she walked down the corridor with both Arthur and Merlin.

"Merlin, I'm sure I don't have to tell you…" Arthur started.

"Not to tell a soul where she is. Got it. Goodnight." Merlin said, before heading back to his own chamber. He had never seen the prince so protective or caring of someone before. He has seen Arthur treat Lillian differently to all the other woman that ever visited, and since she has been there, he hasn't looked at anyone else.

The warlock decided that he was going to do something about the couple, he was going to get Arthur to see exactly what he had with Lillian. As he threw himself on his bed, he started to think of how exactly he could do that.

The sun was already in the sky, and Arthur was already dressed when Merlin walked into the room. Usually his master would have shouted at him for not knocking, but he was too preoccupied watching Lillian still sleep.

"You should probably wake her soon, sire." He said, picking up the clothes that had been scattered across the floor.

"She had a nightmare last night." The prince said, sitting on the edge of the bed and still watching her. "She was screaming my name."

Merlin could tell by the look on his face that he was more than just a little worried. "Did she tell you what it was about?"

Arthur just shook his head. "No, I didn't ask. I've never seen her so scared before, Merlin."

"I'm sure it was just a nightmare, Arthur. But you really should wake her, Sir Pellinor will be fighting soon." Merlin reminded him.

There was a knocking at the door and Merlin was quick to answer it, making sure that whoever it was, couldn't see Lillian in the bed still. "Good morning, Merlin. I was wondering if you had seen Lillian. I'm worried since she wasn't in her room and no one has seen her today." King Irwin asked.

"She's in here." Arthur called, nodding for Merlin to let him into the room.

Irwin let out a sigh when he saw his little sister asleep in the prince's bed. "I take it she had a bad night?" He asked, standing at the foot of the bed.

"She had a nightmare. I don't know what it was about, I didn't want to ask." The prince told him.

"Well, I'm sure you looked after her. You were always the person she went to when she needed someone." Arthur just smiled at him, it was true. She had always been able to tell him anything and everything, including her nightmares. "Make sure you get her to the arena on time." Irwin said, before bowing out of the room.

"Time to wake her up then." Arthur said, not actually wanting to wake her. "Lillian, it's time to get up now." He said, brushing some hair away from her face.

"I'm not going." She mumbled, burying her face into his pillow.

"Lily, you have to go. We both do. You're brother was just here, he's expecting you." Arthur told her softly.

"I don't care. I'm not going. I… I don't feel very well." She told him. Arthur knew her better, and he knew she was just worried about Sir Pellinor and that he wouldn't make it through the fight.

"Come on, Lily. I will be next to you the whole time, I promise."

"Arthur, I really don't want to go. I can't see another one of your knights get slaughtered." She told him, slowly turning to face him. "I can't do it, Arthur, please don't make me."

"I'm sorry, we have to go." He told her. He knew how much she didn't want to go, but there really was nothing he could do to get her out of it. "Merlin, take Lillian to her room and wait outside until she is dressed, then bring her back here."

"I'm not a child. I do not need a babysitter." Lillian protested as she threw the covers off herself.

"I know you don't, but I'm worried about you." There was so much worry and concern in his voice when he spoke to her. Even his eyes were filled with worry.

She let out a sigh. "Fine. Come on then, Merlin." Lillian dragged herself out of the bed and over to the door, where Merlin quickly pulled it open for her.

It wasn't long until they were all outside, watching Sir Pellinor fight against the Tristan. Arthur was holding onto Lillian's hand the entire time, even though it seemed like Pellinor had the upper hand.

He seemed to be doing so well, and he even managed to force his sword through Tristan, except he didn't fall down. He carried on fighting, and Sir Pellinor was the one to lose his life. Tristan thrust his sword into the ground, clearly pleased with himself.

That was when Lillian felt Arthur's hand pull away from her. Before either she or Uther could do anything, Arthur had stood up and thrown his own gauntlet down.

"I, Arthur Pendragon, challenge you." He called. Lillian was holding back the tears, this was what she was afraid was going to happen, and now it really was.

"So be it."

"Single combat. Noon. Tomorrow." Arthur declared. Tristan walked away and that was when he saw the horrified look on Lillian's face. "Lillian…" He said softly, going to take her hand.

She quickly pulled it away from him. Her eyes were glazed over and she was struggling to breath. She had seen this happen in her dream last night, and then she saw him die.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, they really do make me smile.**

**Okay, so I have got at least 10 more chapters written, including the end of series 1. For some reason I've had more motivation to work on this story than my Doctor Who ones (but I am still writing them, I just don't seem to be able to write many chapters ahead).**

**Anyway, I have plans. I always have plans, big plans. **

**Pippa. **


	11. Excalibur Pt2

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Here is the next chapter. **

* * *

"How could you be so stupid?" Uther growled at his son. "I'll revoke the challenge." He told him, walking over to him.

"No." Arthur protested. "The Knight's code must be upheld. That's what you told me." He was determined not to let his father or anyone stop him from taking on the knight.

"This is different."

"Once the challenge has been laid down, it cannot be rescinded." He was going to be stubborn, and he was keeping his head held high in front of his father in the council chamber, even if they were the only ones there.

"You are Crowned Prince." His father reminded him.

"There cannot be one rule for me and one for all the rest."

Uther shook his head. "I forbid you to fight." If course he did, he was not going to let his only son face a man that seemed invincible.

"You want me to prove that I'm worthy of the throne. I cannot do that by being a coward."

"No, Arthur. This will be your death!" The King reminded him.

"I'm sorry you have so little faith in me, father." Arthur said, beginning to walk towards the door.

"And what about Lillian?" Uther called, making his son stop in his tracks. "How do you think she feels about all of this? Did you not see her reaction when you challenged that knight?" He asked.

Arthur thought about it, after that she had completely shut herself off. Even Merlin couldn't get anything from her. "I know she is scared, just as she was with Sir Owain and Sir Pellinor." He confessed.

"No, Arthur. It is much more than that. That girl cares about you so much, and you are willing to put her through all of this?" Uther asked him.

"Lillian is like a sister to me, I know she is upset, but I am doing this, father. Tomorrow, I shall fight that knight." Arthur said, before walking out. He wanted to find Lillian, he needed to talk to her, or at least try to.

Lillian, however, was desperate to avoid him. She knew of one place where no one would bother to look for her, Merlin's chamber. More specifically, his small room in the physician's chamber.

"Lillian was right." Merlin said as he entered the chamber with Gaius.

"I wish she wasn't." Gaius replied.

Lillian got up from Merlin's bed and opened the door. "If Arthur fights that thing, he'll die." She said, causing both the men to jump and look at her.

"Lillian, what are you doing in there?" Gaius asked her.

"Sorry. I needed to get away from everything. I figured this would be the last place anyone looked for me." Both of the men nodded at her, understanding she wanted space from others. "Merlin, no mortal weapon can kill it. Which means we have to find a way to defeat the wraith ourselves." She told him.

Gaius looked at her in more shock. "How do you propose to do that?" He asked her.

Merlin looked between Lillian and Gaius. "If no mortal sword will kill it… then I will." He announced, before running into his room and returning with his magic book. "With mortal magic."

"Merlin, that isn't going to work. I know you're the most powerful warlock to have walked the Earth, but this is beyond you." Lillian told him softly.

"What do you mean?" He asked her quizzically.

Lillian bit her lip. "I mean… you have to… we can…" She started playing with her hands nervously.

"I must speak with Uther." Gaius said, leaving the magical pair alone.

"Lillian, what do you know?" He asked her.

She let out a sigh. "Don't look in magic books. They won't help. You need to think more about legends and tales… fables. Maybe you should pay Geoffrey a visit." She told him before running for the door and leaving.

As she wandered the castle she bumped into Gaius. "What did Uther say?" She asked. The old man just shook his head at her before carrying on to his chambers.

Lillian took a deep breath and made her way to the council chambers where she knew Arthur's father was. "I'm sorry to bother you, sire." She said, curtseying to him as she entered.

"Lillian, how are you?" He asked, beckoning her forwards.

"I'm… I'm afraid, sire. Afraid for Arthur." She whispered.

"You are not the only one, my child." He told her softly, taking hold of one of her hands.

"I know your son is a skilled warrior, his is the best in the whole of Camelot, but I am still scared he will not return." Her voice was shaking as she spoke, her fear breaking through.

"Listen to me." He said, getting her to look at him. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that Arthur does no fight tomorrow. Even if he protests against it, I shall not let anything happen to him. Do you understand?" He told her softly.

Lillian nodded at him. "Yes, sire."

"Please, you know I prefer you to call me Uther." She gave him a brief smile. "And I want you to know that you and Arthur have my blessing." That time she looked at him in confusion. "I have seen the way you look at my son, and the way he looks at you."

"We are only friends. As we have been since we were children. He see's me more as a sister to him." She answered nervously. She had confessed how she felt about Arthur to her brother, but she could never tell anyone else.

"I may be old, but I am not a fool, my dear." He told her kindly. "My son cares for you deeply, he always has. I think he would like you to be more than just his friend, and I approve of that. He is always at his best when you are around. Since you have returned to his life, the life has returned to my son."

Lillian didn't really know what to say. She believed Arthur felt that she was just like a sister to him, nothing more and nothing less. Why would his father think it could be anything more? "I am glad that my presence has brought happiness to your son. But I cannot see us ever being anything more than friends."

"In time, you will both see what I and many others have seen. Now, go and see my son. Maybe you can talk some sense into the boy." Uther said, giving her a hug before walking her to the door.

"I shall try, Uther, but if he shall not listen to you, I fear he will not listen to me either." She told him, before making her way to Arthur's chamber.

"But you are more than that. You're not merely a warrior." She heard Merlin shout to Arthur. "You're a prince, a future king! You've proved your courage, but you must prove your wisdom."

Lillian stopped just outside. "I'm not backing down." Arthur told her servant.

"Please, Arthur, listen to me." Merlin begged. "This is no ordinary knight. Look at him. He doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep. He just stands there, in complete silence. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"No one is unbeatable." The prince replied, swinging his sword around in practice for the challenge.

"If you fight him, you will die."

"I'm not listening to this." Arthur was getting very bored with his servant now. Everyone had been telling him to back out of it, everyone except Lillian. He hadn't seen her since he threw down his gauntlet. The look on her face still haunted him.

"I'm trying to warn you, Arthur." Merlin was desperate to get him to stop, but as Lillian expected, he wasn't listening to anyone.

"And I'm trying to warn you, Merlin!" Arthur shouted, pointing his sword at the boy. Merlin just shook his head at him and left the room.

That was when he noticed Lillian standing there, tears swimming in her eyes and ready to fall. _"He refuses to listen to his father, he will not listen to you. There is no hope that he will listen to me."_ She told the warlock. _"Go to Geoffrey. If Arthur insists on fighting, then we need to make sure he wins."_

Merlin looked at her curiously. _"I tried my magic on him, it didn't even scorch him. You knew it wouldn't didn't you?"_ Lillian nodded at him. _"How do you know so much?"_

"_That, I cannot tell you. One day, you shall know, but today is not that day. I can only give you so much help."_ She told him sadly. She wanted more than anything to tell him everything, but she knew she couldn't.

"_Are you coming with me?"_

"_No. I'm sure you will find what you need without my help. I should at least try to talk Arthur out of this stupid fight."_

Merlin smiled at her. _"Good luck."_ He said, before charging off.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the prince's door. "If you have come to talk me out of it, then go away." Arthur shouted, not even bothering to answer the door.

Lillian let out a sigh. "I bid you goodnight then, sire." She said, turning to walk to her own chamber.

She didn't get very far before she felt Arthur grasp hold of her hand and pull her back to his chamber. "Lillian, where have you been?"

"I've been around the castle, thinking. Praying that this is all just one of my silly nightmares and that I will soon wake up." She told him, sitting in a chair by the fire.

"I have to do this." He told her, a hint of sadness in his voice. Not once had she looked up at him, and that was hurting him more than anything. He could take her being angry with him, hating him even, but she was being so quiet and calm.

"I understand, but it does not stop me from wishing it not to be true." She closed her eyes tightly, forcing back the tears. "I've already lost so much, I don't think I could bear it to lose you as well." She whispered.

'Lily, you're not going to lose me. I am not going anywhere, I will never leave you." He told her, kneeling in front of her and taking hold of both her hands. He meant every word he said to her. If he had his way, she would never leave Camelot and never leave his side.

"Tomorrow you fight to the death. There is every chance that you will not be coming back." She told him, still keeping her eyes closed.

The prince let out a sigh. "Do you have so little faith in me?"

"I have every faith in you. I know you will fight with everything you have. But tomorrow, someone will die, as Sir Pellinor did today and Sir Owain before him."

"Which is why I must put a stop to this knight. No one else shall die at his hand. Especially not me." He told her, trying his best to comfort her and easy her worrying.

"You under estimate that knight. Did you not hear what Merlin said? He does not eat nor sleep. He walks away from battle with no injuries, as if he is not a mortal man." She told him, trying to hint that something was more magical about the knight.

"And as I told Merlin, no one is unbeatable."

"Arthur, if you die tomorrow…"

"No, Lily. I am not going to die tomorrow, do not even think that." He told her sharply. Arthur took a deep breath. "Lily, look at me." He urged her. "Please, Lily." Slowly she opened her eyes and brought her gaze to meet his. "Tomorrow I shall fight with everything I am. And I shall fight knowing that I have you to live for."

"Arthur…"

"Quiet Lillian. Listen to me, for once, just listen." His tone took her by surprise and she immediately closed her mouth. "I will never leave you, because you mean more to me than words can say. You have always been there for me when I needed you, and right now, I need you to trust me and believe in me." Lillian just nodded at him. "And when I return after the battle, I am taking you out for the day. Just the two of us."

She nodded at him again, but she couldn't stop the fear that he wasn't going to come back.

"_A sword forged in the dragons breath. That's what we need. I'm going to get a sword now, and then go see him. How is it with Arthur?"_ Merlin asked.

"_As I expected. He still will not listen, and insists on fighting. There is nothing more I can do, Merlin. If you don't get that sword, Arthur will die tomorrow."_ Through their connection, he could feel her fear. But there was more than that, he could feel her pain and sorrow, he could see just how much Arthur meant to her.

"_We will save him. It's out destiny to protect him, remember?"_

"_I will come with you to see Kilgharrah, it shall not be easy to persuade him to do this, even for Arthur's life."_ She warned the warlock.

"Lillian?" Arthur called, still kneeling in front of her. She blinked a few times before managing to focus on him. "Stay with me tonight?" He asked her.

She tried her best to smile at him. "Of course I will. But first, I must speak with my brother." Lillian told him, getting up from the chair.

"Of course. I shall see you soon." He said, kissing her gently on the forehead. It actually made her blush a little before she got out of the room.

"_Where are you getting a sword from, Merlin?_" She asked him.

"_I'm at Gwen's now. She is giving me the best sword her father has ever made."_ Merlin told her, opening his mind so that Lillian could see what he was seeing.

She gasped when she saw it. _"It's perfect. Now the only problem is going to be convincing that stubborn old lizard, I mean dragon."_ Merlin chuckled at her a little.

"_I'm on my way back now. Meet me down by the dungeons?"_

"_I'm already on my way there."_ She told him as she snuck around the castle. Most people were preparing for tomorrow, or gossiping about it.

"_How did you get away from Arthur anyway?"_ The warlock asked her.

"_Told him I needed to see my brother. I will be going back to see him again later. I'm not going to leave him on his own tonight, he needs me."_ Merlin couldn't really say anything else to that. He knew that Arthur needed her, more than either would admit.

It was long before Lillian was standing by the dungeons, waiting for Merlin to arrive with the sword. As soon as she felt him close to her, she sent the guards to sleep with a simple spell of hers.

"You never fail to amaze me." Merlin commented when he saw the guards, snoring away at the table. "Come on, let's do this." He said, taking hold of her hand with his free one. As he did, he felt their magic surge and connect more than he had ever felt it before.

"I think our bond just increased." Lillian told him, the slightest hint of a grin on her face.

It didn't take them long to reach the cave where the dragon was already perched upon his rock and waiting. "Merlin! And Princess Lillian." He said, bowing his head to her.

"Do you know why we are here?" Merlin asked the dragon, while Lillian just rolled her eyes.

"It may surprise you, Merlin, but my knowledge of your life is not universal." That made Lillian laugh a little.

"It's to do with Arthur. His life's in danger. He will die, unless we can make a weapon that will kill the dead." Merlin told him.

"So what do you come to ask of me?"

Merlin unwrapped the sword and used his magic to float it in front of the dragon. "Will you burnish it, to save Arthur?" He asked.

"The dead do not return without reason." He said, turning his head to Lillian, who was standing there quietly. "Who has he come for?"

"Uther." She told him, knowing exactly what the dragon would say next.

"Then let him take his vengeance and the wraith will die without my aid." Kilgharrah said. Lillian had already explain that was what Tristan wanted,

"But it is Arthur who is going to fight him, not his father." Lillian pointed out.

"You have to save him." Merlin pleaded.

"That is your destinies, young warlock and princess, not mine."

"If Arthur fights the wraith and dies, Camelot will have no heir. We shall have no destiny. Kilgharrah, you know I would not ask this of you if there was another way." Lillian told him. "And believe me, I wish there was. I have no desire for this weapon to be forged, I know of what it can do."

Kilgharrah nodded at her. "You are wise, Princess. You have more wisdom than one your age should. But I know the reasons why." He told her, before turning back to Merlin. "A weapon forged with my assistance will have great power."

"I know." Merlin replied.

"You do not know. You can only guess. You have not seen what I have seen. If you had, perhaps you would not ask this of me. Only Princess Lillian knows and understands the burden of this request."

Merlin looked between the dragon and Lillian. "What do you mean?"

"In the wrong hands, this sword could do great evil. It must be wielded by Arthur and him alone." Lillian said, bowing her head. She he thought so hard to find some other way to stop Tristan, but she knew there wasn't. Unless Uther was to fight him and die.

"I understand."

"You must do more than understand. You must promise." The dragon breathed at Merlin.

Merlin nodded at him. "I promise."

Lillian cast a spell, protecting her and Merlin in a bubble while Kilgharrah breathed his fire on the sword.

"Heed my words. This sword was forged for Arthur and him alone." The dragon called. Repeating the words that Lillian had said. The magical pair turned away from the dragon and began to walk away. "Oh, Princess Lillian, a word."

"Wait for me at the end of the tunnel. I will not be long." She said to Merlin, who nodded at her and left with the sword.

"Your powers are growing, as is your bond with the young warlock." He told her, watching her closely.

"I know." Her voice was quiet, she wasn't in the best of moods, even if they had found a way to save Arthur.

"Have you started to accept your destiny?"

She let out a sigh. "I have accepted that I can help Merlin to protect Arthur. Nothing more." She insisted.

"Do you know what you are?" He asked her curiously.

"Of course I know. I have known for a long time exactly what I am. And I fear Merlin and Gaius are getting suspicious because of my knowledge." She told him honestly.

"You must be careful. No one can know who or what you really are until the time is right. There are some from the old religion who would see you dead for being so close to the young Pendragon." Kilgharrah warned her.

"Such as the one who conjured the wraith that is Tristan Dubois?" She questioned. She knew he could not have risen on his own, there was strong magic involved in his return.

"Indeed. That person is already wise to Merlin, if she knew of you as well, she would hunt you down."

"She? Oh, wait a minute. Now it makes sense." Lillian said, her eyes widening.

"Do you know of whom I speak?" He asked her in shock.

"I do. You speak of the High Priestess Nimueh. And I regret to inform you that she is already aware of me, and possibly my location." Lillian told him.

"No!" He bellowed. "How?"

"Before my parents died, she paid me a visit and tried to convince me to join her in the fight against Camelot and the Pendragon family. I refused, because even then, I could never see any harm come to Arthur."

"You must be careful. She will see you as an enemy to her cause, and she will not hesitate to kill you." There was something in the way he was speaking to her that made Lillian wonder why he seemed so concerned.

"I will be careful. Is there anything else you wish to speak with me about?" She asked, knowing she needed to get back to Merlin and then to Arthur.

"You may leave, and spend time with your prince." Kilgharrah said, before flying high above her and out of sight.

"He is not my prince." She mumbled, as she walked back through the tunnel and up to where Merlin was waiting for her.

"Is everything alright?" Merlin asked when she finally reached him.

"Of course it is. He was just warning me some more about the sword. You know what he is like." Lillian said, trying to push away any more questions that Merlin might have. "Now, I suggest you put that sword somewhere safe. I really need to get back to Arthur." She told him.

"Any special request for breakfast?" He asked her with a grin on his face.

"Yes, a quiet one. Try not to bump into anything, or drop anything, or annoy Arthur so that he ends up throwing something at you." She told him as she started walking away. She could hear him chuckling away in the background as they went their separate ways.

As she was heading back to Arthur's chamber, she saw Morgana coming out. "Morgana, are you okay?" She asked, noticing the scared look on the woman's face.

"It's Arthur. He still won't pull out. He still insists on fighting tomorrow and I'm scared." Morgana said, grasping her friend's hand tightly.

"I know, Morgana. He will not listen to reason, and you are not the only one who is scared. I'm petrified that he is going to die tomorrow." Both of them had terrible feelings, but Lillian's had eased a little, knowing that they now had the sword that could kill Tristan.

"I've been having more dreams, Lillian. They seem so real." Morgana cried.

"Oh, Morgana." Lillian said, taking her friend into her arms and letting her cry. "Remember they are only dreams. And if they turn out to be true, I shall always be there to protect him. You know that don't you?"

Morgana pulled away and nodded a little. "Like with Sophia?"

Lillian smiled at her. "Like with Sophia." She confirmed. "I would lay down my life for Arthur. No harm will come to him, Morgana."

She nodded to Lillian. "I'm sorry to have put this all onto you."

"Nonsense. What are friends for? Now, you need to go and get some rest. I will speak with you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Lillian."

She smiled at the dark haired woman. "Goodnight, Morgana. And remember, those dreams are just that, dreams."

She watched the woman walk away from her before turning around to head to Arthur's room. Except she found the prince leaning on the wall watching her. "Would you really lay down your life for me?" He asked her as she walked up to him.

"Were you listening in to the conversation I was having with Morgana?" She said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Well… I was… just…" He couldn't find the words to say anything to her.

"What did you hear exactly?" Lillian put her hands on her hips and stared at the man in front of her.

"Let's not discuss this in the hallway." Arthur said, taking hold of her hand and dragging her into his room. They sat down in the chairs by the fire. "What did Morgana mean when she said 'like with Sophia'?" The prince asked her.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Lillian said, holding her head high and keeping her gaze away from his.

"Is this the Sophia I tried to elope with? The one where Merlin brought me back?" He questioned. "What did you have to do with it?" He wondered. "Oh, Merlin didn't bring me back alone, did he? You went with him." He said as it finally dawned on him.

"Well, I wasn't going to just sit her and let her have you was I?" She snapped. "You were under a spell. You weren't yourself, and I was not going to let her kill you, Arthur, because that's what she would have done if Merlin and I had not reached you in time."

"What do you mean? She was going to kill me?" He asked.

Lillian let out a sigh. "She was a Sidhe, and was going to offer up your soul for an immortal life in Avalon."

"And you stopped her?"

"No. Merlin and I stopped her. And believe me, it wasn't easy. But you can never tell anyone that I told you this. You don't remember any of it because you were under her spell." She wasn't even sure she should have told him, but he asked, and she wasn't going to concoct a lie.

"And so what about you being prepared to lay down your life for me?" He asked her softly. "Why would you say that?"

That made Lillian a little more uncomfortable. "You are the only heir to Camelot. The people need you. Rolana is safe with my brother, if you died, Camelot would fall. I'm confident that the grief of losing you would break your father." She told him.

"What else? I know you Lily, it's more than that." He said, leaning over and taking hold of her hand.

"You're my best friend, Arthur. What other reason do I need?" She asked him, trying her best to keep her feelings in check.

"Well, I would do the same for you." He said, causing her to instantly look up at him and lock eyes with him. "I would do anything for you, Lily."

* * *

**A/N: Lillian seems to know rather a lot, maybe a little too much... Don't worry, everything will become clear soon. I promise. Who think's they know why she knows so much? **

**I really am sorry for not updating soon, life got in the way, again. But I've been working really hard and have plenty of chapters for this story ready to post. I also have a few for my Doctor Who ones ready to go for those of you who read them as well, so keep your eyes peeled. **

**As always, feel free to review, or PM me. I like to know what people think, and I apologise for any spelling and grammatical errors. **

**Pippa.**


	12. Excalibur Pt3

Lillian and Arthur were both sitting by the fire in his chamber still. They had barely spoken for almost an hour.

"I don't want to leave Camelot." Lillian whispered after some more time had elapsed.

Arthur looked up at her and frowned. "You don't want to leave Camelot?" She shook her head at him. She had been thinking it over ever since he had picked up the gauntlet, and she was pretty sure she had made up her mind now. "So, you're not going to leave with your brother when he returns to Rolana?"

"No. I think… I think I'm going to stay here." She told him quietly. Deep down, she had always known that she wouldn't leave for Rolana. And even if she did, she probably wouldn't have made it far before turning back for Camelot.

"Is that what you really want to do?" Arthur asked her, crouching down in front of her. He had been praying that she would stay, and maybe his prayers had just been answered.

"Yes. I want to stay here, if you want me to. I mean, I don't want to be a burden or get in the way or anything. If you think me staying in Camelot isn't a good idea then that's fine. I understand. And obviously, I will need to seek permission from your father and…" Arthur put a finger to her lips to get her to stop talking.

"Lillian, I want nothing more than for you to stay in Camelot. My father will not object. I know he thinks highly of you." Arthur told her, slowly moving his hand away from her face.

"You really want me to stay?" She asked, in a slight state of shock. Arthur just nodded at her. "Then once you have defeated that knight, I will speak with my brother and your father." That just made him smile at her some more.

He was about to speak when there was a knocking at the door. "I've brought you something that might help you to sleep." Gaius said as he entered the chamber.

"I'm fine. I don't need it." Arthur told him, getting up from in front of Lillian. "I have Lillian here, I don't need anything else.

"Arthur, you should probably listen to Gaius. You still need to rest for tomorrow." She told him, watching him pace the room slightly.

"Here." Gaius said, handing the vial to the prince. "It'll relax you, take the edge off your nerves."

Hesitantly, Arthur took the vial and downed the contents. "I wouldn't drink it for pleasure." He commented, pulling a slightly disgusted face from the taste of it.

"Why don't you sit down for a moment?" Gaius suggested. That was when Lillian got to her feet and helped Gaius to get him to the bed. She had already worked out that he had given Arthur a sleeping draught to help him to rest.

"Mind you, if you… forget about the taste, the, er, after-effect is quite pleasurable." Arthur said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Why don't you lay back, Arthur?" Lillian told him softly. A moment later he was on his back completely passed out.

"You should probably head to your chamber now, My Lady." Gaius said to her.

"No, I promised him I wouldn't leave him tonight. He needs someone to be there for him, Gaius. And I made a promise." She said, looking down at the prince.

"Is that wise? People will begin to talk." Gaius told her.

Lillian let out a sigh. "People will always talk. Whether there is something to talk about or not. I am staying here to keep my best friend company. Tomorrow he fights the wraith, he needs me, Gaius."

For some reason, the old man started to act a little panicked. "Well, then, My Lady, I shall bid you goodnight." He said, making a hasty exit. For an old man, he sure could move fast when he wanted to.

Lillian sat on the edge of the bed and brushed some of the blonde hair away from Arthur's face. "One day, Arthur, you will be the greatest King this world has ever seen. And I have faith in you, I always have. To me, you are more than just a prince, and my best friend. There is a lot about me that you do not know, Arthur. If you did, then we wouldn't be friends. You would hunt me down and have me killed."

She had to hold back the tears as she spoke to the sleeping prince. There was so much that she wanted to tell him, and while he was in this state, she felt it a little safer to do it. "I have so many reasons to be scared of Camelot, of you and your father. But I'd risk my life just to see you. I hate keeping secrets from you, I really do. I want to be able to tell you everything, but I know I can't. Maybe, somewhere in the future, things will be different and I can tell you everything. But now is not that time. And I have to keep living in fear."

"_Lillian? Is everything okay?"_ Merlin called to her.

"_Yes. No. I don't know. Arthur is sleeping, Gaius gave him a sleeping draught. I told Arthur that I want to stay, that I didn't want to go back to Rolana with Irwin." _

"_But, that's a good thing isn't it?"_ Merlin was confused. He could sense she was worried and scared about something, the feelings was so strong that it was making him worry about her.

"_I don't know. Merlin, if he ever finds out about me…"_

"_Lillian, he won't. And even if he did, there is no way he would do anything to you. He cares about you too much, he would never let anything bad happen to you."_ He tried to assure her.

Lillian let out a sigh. _"We don't know that, Merlin. He has only ever seen magic as an evil and nothing else. Anyone who would use their magic for good is too scared of being caught."_ And that was the truth. Lillian knew why Uther hated magic so much, she could understand his fury. That wasn't to say that she approved of it, of course she didn't, she just understood.

"_Arthur would do anything for you, he loves you." _Merlin said, before he could stop himself.

"_Merlin, he does not love me. We are best friends, he may love me like a sister, yet I am not blood." _

"_You can't think that. Everyone who has seen the pair of you together can see it, you're meant for each other."_ He told her, trying to make her see what the rest of Camelot saw.

"_I'm not going into this, Merlin. Arthur and I are friends, nothing more. Is that understood?"_ She made it clear that she didn't want to hear any more on the topic, not now and not ever.

"_Sorry for bothering you. I'll let you rest now. See you in the morning."_ He said, before leaving Lillian alone with her thoughts again.

She looked down at Arthur, sleeping so peacefully. Lillian had always told herself that her feelings for the prince were nothing but the feelings of a friend. She had been telling herself that for years, trying to convince herself that she didn't love the man before her. But she did love him, and she would never tell him.

The fear of rejection itself was high, but she didn't want to make a fool of herself. If he laughed in her face, she would never be able to face him ever again. And then if he ever found out what she really was, it would destroy everything.

But she couldn't help how she felt. No matter how hard she tried to stop the feelings, convince herself they weren't real, she knew the truth behind it all.

She kicked off her shoes and sat herself on the bed next to Arthur, her eyes never leaving his face. She took in every detail of his face as he slept. If he was to wake up, he would no doubt be curious as to why she was looking at him like that. But she was looking at the man she knew she could never have.

Lillian laid herself down next to him, shifting close to him and resting on her side. "I have something to tell you, Arthur." She whispered, placing a hand on his chest and leaning closer to him. "I love you, more than just a friend." She put her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes tightly, a few tears escaping as she did.

Slowly she drifted off to sleep, her cheeks slightly damp. She woke up again a few hours later to find herself wrapped up in Arthur's arms. She couldn't help but smile at that. Lillian wasn't sure if he had woken up and realised she was there, or if he just accidently rolled over and his arms just ended up that way. Either way, she didn't care, he was there and so was she.

Lillian moved closer towards him, feeling his body warmth through both of their clothes. Most of the time it would be Arthur awake and her asleep, but not this time. She felt completely safe, and happy. It didn't take her long to fall back to sleep in the prince's arms.

The next time she woke up, she realised it was light outside, and Arthur was still asleep. She sat up in the bed and frowned. Merlin hadn't brought breakfast in yet, so it was either early, or something had happened.

"_Merlin? Where are you?" _She asked him sleepily.

"_Lillian, you're awake?"_ He seemed a little surprised and worried.

"_Of course I am. Merlin, what's going on? You're worried? Why are you worried?"_ She tried to poke around in his mind but found he was stopping her. _"Merlin, what the hell is going on?"_ She almost shouted at him.

"_It's nothing, Lillian, I promise. Just go back to sleep."_

"_Do not even try to lie to me. What is going on?"_ She demanded, getting angrier.

"_Uther is fighting the wraith."_ He told her, panic in his voice. _"And he has the sword forged for Arthur."_

Lillian's eyes widened, Kilgharrah was not going to be happy when he heard about that. _"Merlin, what the hell were you thinking! Never mind, you probably weren't thinking."_ She bellowed at him.

"_Lillian, go back to sleep."_ He said to her, before using their bond to cast a spell on her that instantly made her fall back to sleep. He wasn't proud of what he had just done, but he didn't want to face her wrath at that time.

It wasn't long later that Arthur began to stir. A smile formed on his face the moment he saw the woman lying next to him on his bed. He knew she had stayed with him all night, just like she promised, as she was still dressed in her clothes from the day before.

He gently pushed a lock of her hair that had fallen over her face to one side and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning, Lillian." He whispered to her, paying close attention to her as she continued to sleep.

But his smile quickly turned into a frown when he heard the clashing of metal coming from outside his window. He pulled himself away from Lillian and over to the window. He saw someone else fighting the knight in his place.

He rushed over to the doors and tugged at them, but they would not open, no matter how hard he tried. Arthur looked back over at Lillian, and wondered if she had anything to do with why his doors were locked.

"Lillian? Lillian wake up." He growled at her.

She groaned as she rolled over and rubbed her eyes. "Arthur? What's wrong? What's happened?" She asked him, wondering why her head felt slightly strange.

"Where's the key?" He demanded.

"What key?" She asked, looking at him in utter confusion.

"The key for the door. Where is it?" His voice was still rising as he spoke to her.

"I don't know. It's your door. Why would I have the key? Arthur, please tell me what is going on." She begged, starting to feel a little more awake then she had been when he woke her.

"We're locked in, and someone is out there fighting in my place." That caused Lillian to jump off the bed and over to the window. Sure enough she saw someone else fighting the wraith, with the sword that was meant for Arthur.

"_Merlin!"_ Lillian growled to him. _"Never, ever do anything like that to me ever again. Do you understand me?" _She knew that she had made him flinch.

"_I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do. Uther insisted on fighting, and using that sword. I couldn't stop him, I tried, I promised."_

"_Well, you can be the one to explain that to Kilgharrah. You were the one entrusted with the sword, you are the one who had to make the promise." _She spat at him. She was far from in a good mood with him now, and he knew that.

She heard Arthur growl in frustration as he failed to get the doors to open for him. She walked over to him and took hold of one of his hands. "Hey, come on. You need to calm down. Have you seen who it is who is fighting in your place?" She asked, dragging him over to the window. "Look familiar to you?"

The look on his face answered her question. He now knew exactly who was down their fighting. "Lillian, I'm sorry for shouting at you."

She smiled at him. "It's okay. I understand why you might have thought I had something to do with it. But I promise you, I really didn't. Strangely enough, being locked in your chamber with you is not high on my list of things to do."

He couldn't help but smile at her. "Last night, you were talking to me, weren't you?" Her face fell in an instant.

"I might have told you what an arrogant prat you were." She said nervously. The last thing she needed was for him to remember exactly what she had said to him.

"No, I'm sure I heard you saying something about me being the greatest king the world has ever seen." He said, a grin forming on his face.

"Arthur, I think you may have dreamed that." She told him seriously. "Yes, I was talking while you slept. Mainly about how you are vain, pig-headed, stubborn, arrogant…" She saw the dejected look on the prince's face. "And my best friend."

He smiled at her. "Lillian, you are my best friend as well. And there is something I want to tell you…" He didn't get to finish what he was saying as their attention was drawn back to the fight when they heard a clash and the crowd gasping.

The knight had his sword embedded in the king's shield, and the sword the king was using had been knocked from his hand. Without even thinking about it, they grasped each others hand, holding on tightly as they watched Uther reach for his sword while the knight was trying to free his own from the shield.

That was when Uther took his chance and thrust his sword into the wraith. Everyone looked on as it burned slowly before exploding, leaving behind nothing but shreds of black cloth. The crowd started cheering as Arthur and Lillian both let out a long breath.

"Well, I think it is safe to say that the knight is no more." Lillian said, walking away from the window and plonking herself down on Arthur's bed. "Sorry, you said you wanted to tell me something?"

Arthur avoided her gaze and let his eyes drift back out of the window. "It doesn't matter. It was nothing important." He told her, kicking himself on the inside for being such a coward.

"Oh, okay then." There was a little bit of confusion and sadness in her voice.

"I can't believe my father had me locked in my chamber so that I wouldn't fight." Arthur said, coming and sitting next to her.

"You understand why he had to do it though, don't you?" She asked him. He just shrugged his shoulders at her. "Don't be too hard on him, he was doing it to protect you."

"Why did he lock you in here as well?" Arthur asked, thinking out loud.

"Gaius tried to get me to leave, but I refused. And anyway, I would have found a way to break the door down and get to you as soon as I knew what was happening. I have a feeling your father knew that as well."

"And how would you have broken the door down?" He asked her sceptically.

"I'm stronger than I look, my dear Arthur. I would have found a way." Lillian told him, patting his knee. _"Merlin! How long does it take to get the key from Gaius and let us out of here?"_ She called to him.

"_Oh, sorry. I… er… I forgot."_ He replied sheepishly.

"_You forgot?"_ She screamed at him. _"How can you forget?"_

"_Sorry. I'll be there soon. I promise."_ He assured her.

"So, are we going to tell my father that you are staying when we are finally let out of here?" Arthur asked her, pulling her from her angry thoughts about Merlin.

"Do you still want me to stay?" She questioned nervously.

"Of course I do, Lily. I want nothing more than for you to stay in Camelot, you should know that by now." He said, taking hold of both her hands and smiling at her. "This is where you belong."

She let a smile creep onto her face. "Well then, we need to seek permission from your father, and inform my brother." Lillian had an idea. She didn't know when she was likely to see her brother around the castle, so she decided to tell him another way. _"Irwin, I've decided to stay in Camelot."_ She called to his mind.

Lucky for her, she knew he wouldn't be able to answer her. Instead he would come looking for her the moment he had the chance.

"I'm sure that won't be a problem. As I said, my father adores you, and you seem to get along with Morgana rather well."

"Well, Morgana and I have much in common. And we both know how to tease you, sometimes it's just too easy." Lillian told him, a grin on her face.

There was some rattling at the door and eventually the dark haired warlock that Lillian was ready to kill opened it.

"Finally." Arthur cried, grabbing Lillian by the hand and dragging her out of the room with him.

"Arthur, do you have to drag me through the castle? I know you're angry, but that is not a good enough reason to tear my arm off." She reasoned as they headed towards the council chambers, where he assumed his father would be.

"Sorry." He mumbled, slowing down his pace a little so that she wasn't being dragged behind him.

"Kindly explain to me why I am with you in the first place?" She asked, knowing that she was going to have to witness an argument with his father.

He stopped walking and she nearly walked straight into him as he turned around. "You were locked up as well. And we need to tell him you're staying in Camelot, permanently." There was a hint of a smile as he spoke about her staying.

His face changed as we stood outside the council chamber. "You know, maybe you should speak with him on your own, Arthur." Lillian told him, but before she could say anything else. He had pushed the large wooden doors open and was walking inside with her.

"Well, that should heal pretty quickly. I'll re-dress it tomorrow." Gaius said, as he packed up his things to leave.

"Thank you, Gaius. Thank you for everything." The old man just nodded at the king before leaving the room.

"You had Gaius drug me." Arthur half bellowed at his father, walking over to him and slamming his fist on the table. "I was meant to fight him." His anger was starting to come out now. While he had been locked in his room with Lillian, he had controlled his temper, for her.

"No, you weren't." Uther told him calmly.

"But the knight's code…"

"Be damned." The king said. "I believed you would die. And that was a risk I cold not take. You are too precious to me. You mean more to me than anything I know, more than this entire kingdom, and certainly more than my own life." Lillian was feeling more than just a little uncomfortable now.

"I… always thought that…" Arthur started, thinking back on Lillian's words earlier. She had told him there was a reason his father had fought in his place, be he didn't believe it.

"What?"

Arthur looked at him. "That… I was a big disappointment to you." He answered sadly.

"Well, that is my fault, and not yours. You are my only son. And I wouldn't wish for another." His father told him sincerely.

After a moment, both men seemed to come back to their senses, their father and son moment over. "I heard you fought pretty well." Arthur said, leaning against one of the tables. Lillian had done well to keep herself out of the way, she wasn't even sure the king knew she was there.

"Thanks."

"You should join us for training. Sort out your footwork." Arthur teased him.

"I'll show you footwork." Uther said to his son, before swiftly sending Arthur a playful kick.

Arthur ran around the table and stopped when he spotted Lillian standing there, more than a little uncomfortable. He took told of her hand and pulled her out of the shadows so that his father could see her. "Father, there is something Lillian and I wish to speak with you about."

She could have hit him for making it all sound so formal, but decided to let it pass, for now. "Oh, and what might that be?" Uther asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She would like to stay in Camelot on a more permanent basis." He told him, letting a full grin spread across his face as he held onto Lillian's hand.

Uther just smiled fondly at her. "Irwin and I were hoping that would be your decision. You are more than welcome to make Camelot your home. I am sure Morgana will be pleased with your decision as well. Sometimes I worry for her."

Lillian could see the man drifting off into his own little world. "Thank you, sire." She said, curtseying a little to him.

"Now, what have I told you, Lillian? Call me Uther." He said, smiling at her again. Lillian smiled back and nodded before Arthur led her out of the room.

"That went well." He said, still holding her hand as they walked back towards his chamber.

"My brother has been plotting something." Lillian said before she could stop herself.

"What do you mean?"

"What your father said, he and Irwin had been hoping my decision was going to be to stay in Camelot. So they must have talked about it, there must be some benefit to each of them somewhere."

Arthur let out a sigh. "Lily, you worry too much."

"No, I worry the perfect amount, thank you." She replied, pouting at him a little.

"Now, we should go and find your brother, and tell him the good news." Arthur said as they turned the corner and into the corridor that held both their chambers.

"I think he has already found us." Lillian mumbled, spotting her brother standing outside her chamber watching her with a grin on his face. "Irwin, what can I do for you?" She asked, making sure to act like she knew nothing.

"I heard that you had been locked in the Prince's chamber all night." There was a little hint of disapproval in his tone.

"My Lord, I can assure you, I done nothing that would dishonour Lady Lillian nor you." Arthur said very formally.

The frown on Lillian's brother's face soon cracked into a smile. "I know that, Arthur. I was only teasing." He said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"We have something we wish to discuss with you, sire." Lillian couldn't stand the way Arthur was being so formal at the moment. Or why he kept saying 'we', it was her that wanted to stay. "Maybe we should discuss this in my chamber." Arthur continued, opening the door and letting Lillian step through first.

The three of them sat around the table, none of them speaking. Arthur then cleared his throat and began to talk. "Lillian would like to stay in Camelot, my father has given permission for her to stay as long as she wants."

Irwin looked over at his little sister. "Is this true, Lillian?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I have friends here, where back in Rolana I only have you. I am not saying that I do not want to be with you, you're my brother. All I am saying is that I want to spend more time here in Camelot, with my friends. I've started to build a life here, I don't want to leave it." She told him nervously.

"Well, that is good news. I admit, Uther and I had discussed the possibility of you staying here. And, since you have made the decision to stay, I would like you to stay here in the role of ambassador for Rolana." He announced.

Lillian looked up at him in shock. "But, I've never done any royal duties before. That was all given to you. I have no idea what I am meant to do." She said in a panic.

Irwin frowned at her. "Lillian, you're best friend is the Prince of Camelot, I am sure he will help you."

"Of course. I will help you as much as I can, Lillian." Arthur told her.

"Well then, that's settled." Lillian's brother said, clapping his hands together and letting a huge grin spread across his face. "I presume you will both be dining with Uther and I tonight?" He asked, before getting up from his chair.

"Yes, of course." Lillian replied quietly. She was still in shock over what had just happened. She had never expected to be giving such a role. All she had thought was that the pair of kings would be building their treaty, and planning to marry her off to Arthur.

"I shall see you both then." Irwin said, before leaving the room.

Lillian just stared at the table until she felt someone take hold of her hand. She looked up and saw Arthur crouching beside her. "Lily, is everything okay?" He asked her softly.

She nodded at him. "Everything's fine. I just… I didn't expect him to take it so well."

Arthur just smiled at her. His best friend was going to say with him in Camelot, and not return to her own kingdom. He didn't care if it was selfish of him to be so happy, he had missed her so much, and now he was going to make up for all that lost time.

* * *

**A/N: Another episode finished, one step closer to Le Morte d'Arthur, where everything changes. Possibly. **

**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I'm glad so many people are enjoying this story. And a thank you to all those who have favourites/followed as well. Those emails always bring a smile to my face (especially when I'm at uni and read them during lectures). **

**I've had a few people ask me about my other Merlin fic which I haven't started posting yet. I'm still debating uploading it, a girl from the 21st century ends up in Camelot. I haven't written that many chapters for it yet (around 10) but if people want me to start posting what I have, I will. So it's up to you guys. **

**Pippa.**


	13. The Moment of Truth Pt1

It had been almost a week since Lillian's brother had left to go back to Rolana. She was under the strictest instructions to behave herself, act like a princess and to visit him within the next month. So far, her role of ambassador was going rather well, with a lot of help from Arthur. And if he had to admit it, he was proud of her.

"_Merlin!"_ Lillian cried.

"_Lillian? What's wrong? What's happened?"_ He asked her in a panic because of the tone she had used.

"_Are you doing anything? I fancy a walk or something and Arthur is, as always, busy."_ She asked him, feeling a little bit down. Although things had been going well for her in Camelot, she still had a lot on her mind. The way things were with Arthur was something that bothered her the most.

"_I'm doing chores for Gaius, you can help me with that if you want." _

"_Okay, I'll be down in a minute."_ Lillian replied, getting changed from her nightgown and into a comfortable, and simple dress.

"_Wow, you really must be bored if you're offering to help me with my chores." _ Merlin commented as she changed.

"_Yeah, well. I've hardly seen Arthur these past few days, and you are always busy. Even Morgana has been too busy to see me."_ There was a hint of sadness in her voice. She just seemed to be spending more and more time on her own now, sitting in her chamber and simply gazing out of the window.

"_Hey, I'm sure everything will settle down soon. Arthur may have actually mentioned to me something about sneaking out for the day or something at some point."_ Merlin told her, trying to reassure her and pick her spirits up.

"_That's if he ever finds the time. Anyway, I'm on my way down to you. What's on the list for today?"_ She asked him as she casually strolled through the castle.

"_Cleaning the leech tank, gathering herbs and lots more cleaning."_ Merlin moaned.

"_Hmm, good job I know how clean really, isn't it?"_

"_I need clean water, meet me in the courtyard, we can go get some, and you can get outside for a bit."_

Lillian let out a sigh, this was what her life in Camelot had turned out to be. Nothing like what she had expected. _"Yeah, okay."_

Just as she was about to leave she saw Arthur walking towards her. "Morning Arthur." She said cheerfully.

"Oh, morning Lillian. Where are you going?" He asked, seeming a little nervous for some reason.

"For a walk. I'm getting bored of looking out of the window all day."

"On your own?" He wondered.

Lillian shrugged at him. "Everyone else is busy. But Merlin has offered to walk with me while he collects some things for Gaius."

Arthur just nodded at her. "Okay, well, I have to go. I'll, err, see you later." He said, before walking away from her, pretty quickly.

Lillian just shook her head, he didn't even have the time to talk to her for a few minutes anymore. No one had any time for her.

"You okay, Lillian?" Merlin asked as she made her way down the steps to where he was waiting for her.

"I'm fine." She told him, rather unconvincingly.

"No you're not. What is it?" He asked as they started to walk towards the well near the lower town.

"Nothing. I just bumped into Arthur and he didn't have time to talk. It's nothing, really." She insisted as best she could.

Merlin stopped walking and grabbed Lillian's hand to get her to stop as well. "No, it's not nothing. It's upset you hasn't it?"

Lillian just tried to shrug it off. "He's the crowned prince, he's busy. I understand why he doesn't have time to stand around and talk with me. It's fine, Merlin, honestly."

The warlock just frowned at her. "No, it's not fine. Lillian, it's upsetting you. Do you want me to have a word with him about it?" He asked her, trying to be a good friend.

"No, it really is okay. Just leave it." Inside, Lillian was starting to think she had made the biggest mistake of her life by staying in Camelot. Maybe it would be a good time to arrange a visit to her brother now. She was sure that Arthur wouldn't even notice that she was gone.

"But Lillian…"

She raised her hand to cut him off. "Merlin, he is the prince, he has his duties. I am an ambassador for Rolana, as well as their princess. Finding time to spend with others will always be difficult."

Her friend looked at her with such a small smile. "I'm sure everything will work out fine. Come on, let's get started on these chores before you come to your senses and leave me to do them on my own."

And with that they made it the rest of the way to the pump. The first bucket that Merlin filled, Lillian used her magic to drain it as it soon as it was half full. It annoyed her warlock friend slightly at first, but he got his revenge when he used his own magic to splash her with water.

They were both laughing when they turned to leave the well, but that was when someone caught Merlin's eye. "Mother?" He asked, putting the bucket he was carrying down and ready to hug her.

"Merlin!" She cried as she went to embrace her son.

Lillian stood there and frowned. Just like Merlin, she had noticed the terrible bruising on the side of her face and around her eye. "What happened?" He asked his mother, inspecting her face. "Who did this to you?"

Hunith explained back in Ealdor, and Lillian was fuming. "Come on." She said, helping Merlin's mother up. "Uther and Arthur need to hear about this." Lillian was determined to do something. This was the home of her friend that was under attack, and she was damned is she was going to just sit by and watch it happen.

"What's your name?" Hunith asked her. They hadn't actually been introduced properly, she just assumed she was a friend of her son's.

"Oh, I'm Lillian." She said, making sure to forget her title.

But Merlin hadn't forgotten. "Princess Lillian of Rolana, actually." There was a hug grin on his face.

"_Shut up, Merlin. You mother is going to feel awkward now. And so am I."_

Hunith's face turned to one of shock. "I'm… I'm sorry, My Lady, I didn't know." She said, lowering her head.

"It's fine. Really. Merlin is my friend and you are his mother. Really, forget about." Lillian insisted. "Merlin, I need to get changed. Uther would be rather disappointed if I showed up in the throne room looking like this."

Merlin nodded at her. "I'll go find Arthur. Get the audience sorted." Lillian smiled at him and charged off ahead.

"You're friends with a prince and a princess? I'm so proud of you, Merlin." His mother told him as they almost reached the castle.

Lillian stood in the throne room wearing one of her many blue dresses, the colour of Rolana. Both the King and Prince were ready to listen to Hunith's tale.

"The winters are harsh in Ealdor, and there are many children. Some of then just won't be strong enough to survive. We barely have enough food as it is, and if Kanen takes our harvest, our children won't live to see another summer. Please, we need your help." She pleaded.

Lillian was standing beside Arthur, as she generally did during these kinds of events. "Ealdor's in Cenred's kingdom. Your safety is his responsibility." Uther pointed out.

"We've appealed to our king, but he cares little for the outlying regions. You're our only hope." Hunith told him.

"I have the deepest sympathy for you and would have this barbarian wiped off the face of the Earth." Uther declared. But Lillian knew it wasn't as simple as that. Her time as ambassador had actually taught her a lot about the politics of kingdoms, nothing was ever simple, especially where Cenred was involved.

"You'll help up?" Hunith asked, her eyes full of hope.

"I wish I could." There was actually some sincerity in the king's voice.

"Surely we can spare a few men?" Arthur protested.

"Resources are not the problem." His father informed him regretfully.

"Then what is?" Morgana spoke from her place beside Gwen.

"Ealdor lies beyond the Ridge of Essetir. For an army of Camelot to enter, it would be an act of war." Lillian told her. This is one of the many things she had learned. Uther looked at her and nodded, informing the court that she was right with what she was saying.

Merlin's mother dropped to her knees in her last attempt to gain his help. "I know you're a good king, a caring man. I'm begging you, help us, please."

"The accord we've struck with Cenred was years in the making. I cannot risk hundreds of lives for the safe of one village. I'm afraid Camelot cannot help." The king informed her.

"_No, but maybe Rolana can."_ Lillian called to Merlin as she stepped forward and helped Hunith up, escorting her out of the room with Merlin.

Once they were far enough away from the throne room, Lillian spoke up. "Just because Camelot can't help, doesn't mean I cannot." She told Hunith and Merlin.

"What are you saying, Lillian?" Merlin asked her.

"What do you think? Cenred has no idea who I am, there are a few knights from Rolana living within Camelot. My brother left them here to help look out for me and keep me out of trouble. I'm their princess, they will do what I say." She told him firmly.

"You're just going to get yourself into trouble by doing that. Your brother will probably make you go back to Rolana." Merlin pointed out to her.

"Oh well, I'm getting fed up with this place anyway. The only person who talks to me here is you, Merlin." There was a sad smile on her face and Merlin knew exactly how she was feeling and why.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked her.

"Yes. You have been a great friend to me, Merlin. This is something I can do, not just for you, but your mother and your village." She told him.

"Princes Lillian, I am grateful for your offer, but I do not want you to get into any trouble." Hunith spoke.

Lillian just smiled at the woman. "Trust me, I've been in worse situations."

Merlin nodded at her. "I'll see you later, okay?" He said, knowing that he needed to go and tell Arthur that he was leaving.

As Lillian made her way back to her chamber, she bumped into Morgana. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Morgana asked her, noticing that she had been rushing.

"Oh, me, just to my chamber. You know, to… um…" Lillian was actually stuck with what to tell her. "Actually, why are you dressed like that, Morgana?" She asked, noticing her wearing trousers and a tunic.

"I was just… I…"

"Was going to help Merlin and his village?" Lillian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but you can't tell anyone." Morgana pleaded with her.

"Only if you don't tell that I'm going as well." Lillian said, grabbing her by the arm. "Help me pack a few things."

It didn't take them long to pack Lillian's things and for her to get changed into some more suitable clothing. _"Merlin, where are you?"_ Lillian called to him.

"_Gwen's."_ He told her.

Lillian and Morgana snuck out of the castle and made their way to Gwen's house. Lillian had been surprised by the fact that Morgana wanted to go and help as well, but she wasn't going to stop her. They were going to need all the help they could get and she knew the woman was skilled with a sword.

"I won't be able to carry all that." Merlin protested from inside Gwen's.

"You won't have to." Lillian told him, walking in with Morgana by her side. "We're coming with you."

Merlin just looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You're going to need all the help you can get. I can mend armour and sharpen swords." Gwen told him. Well she was the daughter of a blacksmith, she had learnt much from her fathers trade.

"And Morgana and I both know how to fight." Lillian told him, a smile on her face.

"But yo… yo… you can't. I mean, why would you?" Merlin stuttered.

"If it was the other way around, you'd help us. You already have. You saved my life." Gwen reminded him of the time she was accused of being a witch and he had saved her from persecution.

"And you helped me get the druid boy you of Camelot. We owe it to you. Both of us." Morgana told him.

They all stood there looking at Lillian, waiting to hear her reason. "I'm just bored of the castle." She told them jokingly. "You've looked out for me, Merlin. It was you who found me in the forest, I would have died if you hadn't." She looked at Merlin, her eyes showing how much she meant it. _"And you've been keeping Arthur alive since you got here."_

Merlin just nodded at her. "I need to get back to Gaius. What are the three of you going to do?"

"Well, someone has to prepare the horses and everything else for the journey. I think we should probably get started on that. We need to leave as soon as possible. Once Uther finds out Morgana and I are gone, all hell is going to let loose." Lillian said, causing Morgana to laugh.

It didn't take long for Merlin to return with his mother and for the group to set of to Ealdor. _"Are you sure you should be coming?"_ Merlin called to Lillian.

"_Yes. I needed to get away from Camelot for a while. And I would never let you go on your own. If something happened to you, I'd be left on my own with Arthur."_ She reminded him. _" I doubt he is even going to notice that I am gone."_

Merlin frowned, sensing the sadness and despair in her. _"He will notice. He does care about you, Lillian, you know that don't you?"_ He asked her.

"_Merlin, he is too busy to notice. Whether he cares or not is beside the point, he won't notice I'm missing."_ Merlin didn't really know what he could say to help reassure her that Arthur really did care.

It grew dark and they decided to stop and make camp for the night. After eating, Morgana and Gwen were the first to fall asleep. Lillian was lying down on her makeshift bed, her eyes closed but wide awake. The sword Gwen had given her was right beside her, and she was ready in case anything happened.

"They shouldn't be here." She heard Hunith say to her son. "Especially Princess Lillian and the Lady Morgana. Isn't she the kings ward?"

"Not that you'd know it." Merlin told her. "She's the only person I know who isn't frightened of him."

"It won't make any difference to Kanen that they're woman." His mother reminded him.

"I know. But I couldn't talk them out of coming." He said, looking at his mother's bruised face.

"Yeah, and you wouldn't even try to talk me out of it, would you, Merlin?" Lillian said, sitting up and walking over to where they were sitting by the fire.

"I thought you were asleep?" He asked, a little surprised.

"You thought wrong, my dear friend. Someone needs to be ready in case of an ambush. You're not exactly skilled with a sword now, are you?" She told him, a slight grin on her face.

"Arthur is going to be really angry with you when he finds out." Merlin pointed out to her.

Lillian just shrugged. "I can handle the prince. You've seen how I can beat him in a duel, I can also beat him with the use of words and charm."

Merlin let a little laugh slip out. "You really shouldn't have come. What if your brother finds out?"

"Again, I can handle him. The worse he can do is make me return to Rolana." She said, before looking over at Merlin's mother. "Hunith, you have a raised Merlin well. He is a good man."

The woman smiled at her. "The pair of you seem to get on well." She noted.

Both Lillian and Merlin couldn't stop the grins from forming. "You could say that we have a special bond." Lillian managed to say without laughing. "We will stop Kanen, I swear to you. Your village will be freed of him."

"I want to make him pay for what he did to you." Merlin added, looking back at his mother's face again.

"Promise me you'll be careful?" She said to her son. "No one can find out about you." She whispered, hoping that Lillian couldn't hear.

"They won't. They never do." Merlin said, giving Lillian a smile. "Someone knows, but I trust that person, like they trust me."

Instantly Hunith realised that her son was telling him that Lillian knew all about him, and that there was something different about her as well. She nodded at the both. "Get some rest." She told them, before heading over to her own bed and lying down.

Merlin picked a burning stick from by the fire and blew on it, making the embers fly in the air. "Draca." He whispered, making them form the crest of the Pendragon's.

Lillian looked at him and smiled as her eyes flashed gold. The dragon made from embers began flapping it wings before turning back into embers. "I know you're worried, Merlin, but everything will be fine." She assured him.

He tried his best to smile at her. "I know. But I'm worried about you, Gwen and Morgana. None of you should have come as well. This is my battle to deal with. Kanen is my village's problem."

"No, Merlin, it is our problem. We are all friends, and this is what friends do for each other." She told him, hoping that he would understand. "Go on, you heard your mother, get some rest." She said, giving him a nudge to make him move.

Slowly he got up from the log and went over to his bed while Lillian stayed by the fire. _"Goodnight, Emrys."_ She said, using his druid name for the first time.

"_Goodnight, Lily of the Valley."_ He whispered back, before gently falling asleep, which meant she didn't have the chance to question him on what he had called her.

She stayed awake for a little while longer before making her way back to her bed. It didn't take her long to start to fall asleep but she was soon woken when she heard hooves approaching their camp. It seemed like Merlin had heard them too as he was awake and grabbing his sword.

"_You really think you can manage with a sword, Merlin?" _She asked him, creeping around a tree, working out where they were going to be ambushed.

"_Nah, I've got you to protect me."_ He told her, a smirk on his face as he also searched through the trees for whoever was there. He stopped when he felt a sword poking into his back.

"I'd ask you for money, but I know you don't have any." A familiar voice said to him.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried, turning around, sword still in his hand and causing the prince to duck under it.

"Put the sword down, Merlin. You look ridiculous." He told him, snatching it from him.

"You put your sword down." Lillian hissed as she poked him with her own blade, even thought she knew who it was. She was far from happy with the prince as it was, and she didn't care.

Arthur let out a sigh and dropped both the swords straight away. "I should have known you'd be here." He grumbled.

"Told you, didn't I, Merlin? He didn't even notice I was gone." Lillian said, before moving her sword and brushing past the prince and back to the camp.

"I take it she is upset with me for some reason?" Arthur asked his servant as his picked up the swords from the ground.

Merlin looked at him, not really knowing what to say. "Yeah, you could say that."

Both the men made their way back to the camp where Lillian was tossing some more wood onto the fire, her eyes burning into it. It was bad enough that Arthur had not been noticing her back in the castle, but now that she knew he hadn't even noticed she had been missing, it just made her angry.

"How much further is it?" Arthur asked as he and Merlin sat down by the fire. Lillian didn't move, nor did she look up. Her eyes were firmly fixed on the flames.

"Er, maybe a few hours." He answered, knowing that something was wrong with Lillian.

"How many men does Kanen have?" The prince asked, paying no attention to the princess sitting opposite him at the other side of the fire.

"Um, I'm not sure. I think, from what my mother said, maybe as many as forty."

"You should get some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." Arthur told him. He really wanted to talk to Lillian, even if she didn't want to talk to him, she could at least listen.

"Thank you. Um, I know you didn't have to come." The young warlock said as he stood up.

"Get some sleep." Arthur ordered him.

He watched Merlin go and waited a few minutes before getting up and walking over to where Lillian was. "You shouldn't stare into the flames like that." He told her, sitting down beside her.

"And why not? What do you care?" She snapped at him.

"You shouldn't be here." Was all he could say in response to her.

"What, and you should?" She said, still not looking up from the fire.

"If something happens to you…"

"Then your father would be angry and so would my brother, yes, I know. I knew that when I made the decision to help Merlin and his village." Lillian told him.

"I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, Lillian." He told her, trying to get her to at least look at him.

"Of course you would. I'm nothing important, I know that now." She had to keep staring at the fire, it was helping to calm her and was stopping the tears from falling.

"What? Of course you are important. Lily…"

She quickly got up. "I am nothing important. Not to you, not to Camelot, not to anyone. I have accepted that." She told him, before going over to her bed and settling down. She closed her eyes and buried her face into her blanket and let the tears freely pour from her eyes.

"_Lillian, are you okay?"_ Merlin asked her, knowing that she was now crying.

"_Please, Merlin, leave me alone."_ She asked him. He decided that it was best to do as she asked. From their bond he could feel how hurt and upset she was, and he didn't want to make her feel any worse.

Merlin wanted to hit Arthur for what he had done and how he had made Lillian feel. He was the reason she was so upset and was now starting to believe that she meant nothing to anyone. The problem was, even if Merlin told him what he was doing to her, he wouldn't listen. He was the prince and he was just his servant. The only thing he could do was be a good friend to Lillian.

When morning came, Merlin noticed that Lillian was already awake and ready to leave. Her eyes were red and blood shot, he assumed she had been awake and crying for most of the night. _"You okay?"_ He asked her, hoping that she would actually give him an answer.

She just shook her head at him and her eyes began to fill up again. Merlin dashed over to her and pulled her into a hug. "Everything will be fine, you'll see. Once this is all over, everything will get better." He whispered to her, hoping to calm her down.

"Once this is over, I'm going to Rolana. I can't stay anymore, Merlin. I can't do it. It hurt's too much." She mumbled to him, trying to be a quiet as she could.

"_I know how much it hurts, I can feel it too, remember? But I know things can get better, Lillian. And they will."_ He assured her, opening his mind to her so that his hope flowed into her.

"_I don't have the same hope that you do, Merlin. You surely know how I feel, and why I feel that way. And it hurts so much, I'd rather die than have to suffer all this pain any more."_ She was right, Merlin knew exactly why it hurt her so much, but it wasn't only because of their bond, it was because of what she heard her tell her brother.

"_You love him, and you have done for longer than you can remember. You're scared he doesn't love you back, but he does. Deep down, you know he does."_

Lillian just shook her head. _"No he doesn't. I used to think that maybe he did. I hope that he did. But now I know that he doesn't."_

"Is everything alright?" Hunith asked as she came over to them.

"Yeah, fine. Lillian's just having a bad start to the day." He told his mother, nodding over to where Arthur was still laying. Immediately she understood what her son was telling her.

"There's a stream not too far, why don't we go and get some fresh water, Princess Lillian?" Hunith asked, gently tugging her away from her son's arms.

Lillian didn't struggle as she walked away with the woman. In all honesty, she needed to get away from the camp, away form Arthur.

"What's wrong with Lillian?" Gwen asked as she and Morgana both walked over to Merlin. They had noticed what was going on, but knew to keep out of it.

"Have a guess." He said, glaring at the prince.

Both the woman followed his gaze to the prince, who was now sitting up and looking at them. "Why are you all staring at me?" He asked them.

"No reason." Merlin said, before turning away. Gwen was quick to look away as well, but Morgana held his gaze, her eyes burning into him.

"Is there a problem, Morgana?" Arthur asked, none too pleased with the look she was giving him.

"You are such an idiot, Arthur." She snapped at him before turning and walking away from him, leaving him to wonder what he had done wrong this time.

While the rest of the camp packed their things and made sure they were ready to go, Hunith was hoping to calm Lillian down. "I take it you're upset over the prince?" She asked. Lillian just nodded to her slightly, forcing back the sob in her throat. "You love him, don't you?" The princess looked up at the woman in shock. "I can see it, in your eyes. And you're worried he doesn't feel the same."

Lillian shook her head. "No, I know he doesn't feel the same. We have been best friends for longer than I can remember, he sees me as a sister these days."

"You can't be sure of that." Hunith told her softly. "Have you even told him how you feel?"

"I did, but not so that he could hear me or remember me saying it." She told the woman who was holding onto both her hands.

"Then you don't know how he feels. And you won't until you tell him. He is a man, they are never good when it comes to expressing their feelings." There was a sad smile on the woman's face, and Lillian knew she had had her heart broken.

"Merlin's father, he left before he was born. He doesn't even know about him. You don't even know if he is still alive." Lillian said without thinking.

Hunith stared at her with wide eyes. "How do you know that?" She asked.

Lillian shifted uncomfortably. "It… it doesn't matter. But he is alive. And maybe one day, Merlin will meet him."

Merlin's mother smiled at her. "I hope he does. I want him to see what a wonderful man he has turned into. Come, we should head back now." Lillian nodded at her and they both made their way back to the camp.

Everyone was ready and waiting for them to return. "Lillian, is everything okay?" Morgana asked, a concerned look on her face.

"Everything is fine, Morgana. I just had a bad night, that's all." She said, trying to give her a reassuring smile. Morgana knew her better, and she knew something more was wrong, but she also knew not to push her. "Shall we go then?" She asked, looking at Merlin. He nodded at her and they started the rest of their journey to Ealdor.

* * *

**A/N: Oh dear, Arthur's being a prat. Well that's not anything new really is it? **

**Big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, seriously it really does make me smile when i get those emails when I'm in a lecture. And thank you to everyone who has followed/favourites as well. **

**Has anyone worked out what's so special about Lillian yet? No? You will find out, but not for at least another 7 chapters. **

**Anyways, you know I love your reviews, so keep them coming!**

**Pippa.**


	14. The Moment if Truth Pt 2

Lillian didn't say a word. She stayed near the back of the group, as far away from Arthur as she could possibly get. Merlin had kept speaking to her in her mind, trying to reassure her, let her know that everything would be fine. But she had such a hard time believing him.

By the time they made it to Ealdor, Kanen and his men were already there. Arthur threw a sword, embedding it into a post by where Kanen was standing, about to bring his axe down on a villager.

"Kill them!" Kanen shouted. Arthur and Merlin were quickly off their horses and battling against the men.

"_Lillian, please be careful."_ Merlin called to her as she jumped off her horse and began joining the fray.

"_Where's the fun in that?"_ She asked, parrying the attacks that were coming at her.

Lillian didn't pay much attention to anything else, other than the man she was fighting. Once the man was down she risked a glance over at Arthur. He had just dealt a fatal blow to one man and was about to be attacked from behind when Morgana stepped in and took care of him.

"Bring back memories of when I used to beat you?" She asked smugly, dashing past him and to another man.

"That never happened." He protested, before looking over at Lillian. She quickly looked anywhere but at him.

"You'll pay for this with your lives. All of you!" Kanen called, having mounted his horse and making his escape before he could be dealt with properly. The rest of his men, the ones that were still alive, quickly made haste after their leader.

Lillian was close to where Merlin was standing, looking at one of the villagers. "You sill up to the same old magic tricks again? Look, I thought I told you, I don't want your kind around here?" The villager said to him. She didn't know what to make of it, until she noticed both of them grinning away.

"I missed you too, Will." Merlin said, before hugging the young man. "It's good to see you again."

"How've you been? I, er, hear you're skivvying for some prince." Will said.

"No. I wouldn't say I'm a skivvy." Merlin protested.

That was when Lillian stepped in. "Merlin, that is exactly what you do." She said, placing a hand on his arm. "And not just for a prince either. You have to deal with an awful princess as well." There was a smug grin on her face.

"She a friend of yours?" Will asked, looking Lillian up and down.

"I most certainly am. Most people call me Lillian." She told him, sheathing her sword.

"Merlin! Gather the villagers, I need to talk to them." Arthur bellowed, causing Lillian to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, in a minute. I'm just talking…" He said, turning back to face the prince.

"Now, Merlin. There isn't much time." Arthur ordered.

Merlin let out a sigh. "Yes, sire."

Lillian let her grin grow even wider. "Your lord and master is waiting for you, Merlin."

"I like her." Merlin's friend Will said, a cheeky smile on his face. "I'm Will." He said, holding out a hand. Lillian took it and Will was quick to kiss the back of it.

"Well, aren't you a charmer?" She said, trying to hide her giggles. _Oh, if only the poor boy knew who I really was._ She thought to herself.

"Lillian, I need you here." Arthur growled, having seen the interaction between her and Will.

She rolled her eyes and Will let go of her hand. "Yes, sire." She said, before walking over to where he was standing. She didn't look at him, she looked around at the villagers that Merlin had gathered.

Arthur also looked around the villagers, they all seemed to be gathered before him now. "I know Kanen's kind. He'll be back. And when he is, we must be ready for him. First of all, we have to prepare for…"

"Am I the only one wondering who the hell this is?" Will asked, stepping forward.

"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot." He told the man, holding his head high and trying to show his status.

"Yeah, and I'm Prince William of Ealdor." Will replied sarcastically. Lillian didn't know whether to laugh or not, but she managed to hold it in.

"Keep quiet." Hunith told him. "He's here to help us."

"But he's made things worse. Kanen will be back, and when he is, he'll be looking for revenge. You've just signed out death warrants." Will protested. He was clearly angry that the prince had interfered.

"He saved Matthew's life!" Merlin's mother pointed out.

"That's alright, Hunith. This is his village." He said, before turning his attention back to the young man. "What would you have us do?" Arthur asked.

"We can't fight against Kanen. He has too many men."

Lillian had a feeling she knew where this was going. "So what's the alternative?" She asked, before Arthur could.

Will just shrugged. "Give him what he wants."

It seemed that a lot of the villagers didn't agree with this. They didn't want to give in to the man. "Then what?" Lillian asked. "Those of you who don't starve to death will face him again next harvest. And the harvest after that."

"We'll manage. We'll survive." Will said, looking at Lillian with a little shock.

"How?" One of the villagers called out. There were many who were thinking it, but only one had the courage to ask.

"The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him." Arthur said, looking around the crowd.

"No. You just want the honour and glory of battle." Will shouted. "That's what drives men like you. Look, if you want to fight, then go home and risk the lives of your own people, not ours!" He called. Merlin called his friends name, trying to get him to calm down before chasing after him.

"I'll follow you." Hunith said. "If I'm to die, then I want to go out fighting."

"That goes for me, too." Matthew said, taking a step forward. After than, many more people started calling out, saying that they would fight for their village.

Lillian was with Merlin and Will. They were trying to convince Will that Arthur was there to help. "He knows what he's doing. You've got to trust him. Look, when I first met Arthur, I was exactly like you. I hated him. I thought he was pompous and arrogant." Merlin said to his friend.

"What are you talking about? He still is." Lillian said.

Will just smiled at her. "Well, nothing's changed there, then." He said.

"But, in time, I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does." Merlin told him, trying as hard as he could.

"Yeah, I know what he stands for: princes, kings, all men like him." Will said, his tone didn't sit too well with Lillian.

"Will, don't bring what happened to your father into this." Merlin warned him.

Will just looked at his friend. "I'm not. Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant."

"He's also my friend."

"Friends don't lord it over one another." Will pointed out.

"He isn't like that." Lillian felt like Merlin was fighting a loosing battle with his friend.

"Really? Well, let's wait until the fighting begins and see who he sends in to die first. I guarantee you, it won't be him." The man spat.

Merlin looked at Lillian and then back to Will. "I trust Arthur with my life."

"Is that so?" Will asked. Glancing at Lillian and noticing her stone expression. "So he knows your secret, then? Look, face it, Merlin. You're living a lie. Just like you were here. You're Arthur's servant, nothing more. Otherwise you'd tell him the truth."

Lillian couldn't take it any more. "You know exactly what would happen to Merlin if Arthur knew the truth. And you have no idea how much more than a servant he is to Arthur." She spat at him.

"And who are you to talk? You're no one." Will said in disgust.

"I am Princess Lillian of Rolana. And both Merlin and Arthur are my friends. You have not seen what goes on in Camelot. You do not know Arthur and it seems you certainly do not know Merlin." Will took a step back in shock at the way she had spoken to him, and the revelation that she was a princess.

"Lillian, it's okay, calm down." Merlin said, putting a hand on her arm.

"No, Merlin, it isn't okay." She told him, before turning back to Will. "How can you call yourself his friend when you constantly put him down? That is not what friends do. I believe in Merlin, just as I believe in Arthur." She took a step forward. "I don't care what you think about me, I came here to help my friend, to protect his village, his family and his friends. So did Arthur." And with that, she turned on her heel and stormed out.

"Well, she's… fiery." Will said, trying to get over the shock.

Merlin had to hold back a laugh. "You should see her when she's angry."

As Lillian was walking towards where Merlin used to live with his mother, someone grabbed hold of her arm. "Lillian…" Arthur started, but stopped the moment he saw her glared.

"Don't touch me." She spat at him, pulling her arm away. Arthur instantly let her go and backed away from her.

He stood there, watching her as she stormed off. The look he had seen in her eyes, he knew that something was seriously wrong. And the fact that she wouldn't let him touch her, let alone speak with her, it hurt him. He just couldn't understand why she was being that way with him.

He didn't know what to do anymore. She was becoming more and more distant from him, and he knew, that if he wasn't careful, he was going to lose her. He had already overheard her talking with Merlin, saying that she wanted to go back to Rolana, but he didn't know why.

Lillian managed to avoid him for the rest of the day. Spending her time with Hunith, helping her around the house and with the cooking. Morgana and Gwen had both tried speaking with her as well, but she just brushed them both off. It seemed that the only person she would talk to was Merlin.

"Still not learned how to dress yourself?" Morgana asked Arthur as Merlin helped him to dress the next morning.

"You don't have a dog and fetch the stick yourself." He replied. "No offence, Merlin."

"None taken."

"Prince Arthur, you didn't finish your breakfast." Hunith said, holding his bowl out to him.

"Didn't I?" He queried, knowing full well that he hadn't eaten it all.

"Come on, eat up." Morgana said, mockingly. She knew in an instant that he didn't like it, and she was going to make him suffer. What she also knew, was that he had done something to seriously upset Lillian, and she was not happy about that.

"Mmmm" Arthur said, pretending to eat the food, before shoving it into the first hands he could find, which just so happened to be Lillian's. "Right. Let's get going. We need wood, and lots of it."

Lillian just shook her head and gladly finished the food that Arthur refused to eat. "Arthur said it was lovely." She told Hunith, handing her a now empty bowl. The woman smiled at her as they watched both Morgana and Gwen follow behind Arthur.

"He must care for you a great deal." She said to her son.

"Arthur'd do the same for any village. That's just the way he is." Merlin replied, getting his jacket on.

"It's more than that. He's here for you." She pressed.

"I'm just his servant." Merlin told her, wanting to move on from the topic.

"Give him more credit than that. He likes you." Hunith told him.

"That's because he doesn't know me. And if he did, I'd probably be dead by now." He told her solemnly.

Lillian smirked at him. "No you wouldn't, you'd be stuck in Rolana with me."

Merlin just looked at her with a serious face. "I think that's a fate worse than death."

"Oi!" She cried, whacking him lightly on the arm. "Come on, we best get to work." He picked up an axe and they both headed towards the trees lining the village.

"Merlin! Where are you going with that thing?" Will called.

He stopped and turned to his friend. "What does it look like? We need wood."

"We both know that you don't need an axe to fell a tree." His friend replied, not noticing that Lillian was stood by a tree.

"And I remember the trouble it got me into. I nearly flattened Old Man Simmons." Lillian blocked out the rest of their conversation and focused on feeling the magic that was around her.

She could feel the strength of it coming from Merlin, but she could feel it in the ground beneath her as well. Magic comes from the Earth, and she could feel it seeping through the ground and running through the trees.

"Lillian?" Merlin called softly, touching her shoulder. She looked at him blankly before blinking a few times. "Everything okay?" He asked, a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You lads done talking? We need wood." She said, hoping that their conversation was finally over.

"You'd be able to defeat Kanen on your own, wouldn't you?" Will asked, clearly it wasn't over.

"I'm not sure. Maybe."

Lillian rolled her eyes at her friend. "Of course you would, don't even try to deny it." She said.

"Well, so what's stopping you? So what if Arthur finds out? She already knows." Will said, pointing at Lillian.

"I don't expect you to understand." Merlin replied. Will just pushed him to explain it further. Merlin let out a sigh before beginning. "One day, Arthur will be a great king, but he needs ou…" Lillian discretely elbowed him. "But he needs my help." He corrected himself. No one knew about Lillian, and he almost let it slip. "And if anyone ever found out about my powers, I'd have to leave Camelot for good."

"Are you telling me you'd rather keep your magic a secret for Arthur's sake than use it to protect your friends and family?" Will asked.

Merlin could feel Lillian's anger rising again. _"Lillian, don't. Go and see if Gwen or Morgana need any help. If Arthur is training the men, he could probably use your help."_ He told her.

She looked at him before letting out a sigh and walking away, knowing that he was right. She was letting his friend get to her too much, but that was only because she cared about Merlin. He was her friend and Will just didn't seem to understand the danger he was constantly living in.

"There is no way they're going to be able to hold Kanen off." Morgana said to Gwen as they sharpened some swords.

"Men aren't the only ones who can fight." Lillian said, taking them by surprise. They hadn't even know that she was there.

"What are you suggesting, Lillian?" Morgana asked, a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, you know me, Morgana. We're living proof that women can use a sword just as well as a man." She told her, letting a small grin appear on her face.

"Lillian, is everything okay? I mean, you don't really seem yourself and we've both noticed that you're keeping as far away from Arthur as you can." Morgana asked her. They both knew something was wrong, and they were both worrying about it.

"Everything is fine, Morgana. Arthur has more important things to do, we all know that." She told her, brushing them both off again.

"But you haven't been yourself since before we even got here. You can't say that something isn't wrong. We both know there is." Morgana was going to be persistent now.

Lillian let out a sigh. "It's nothing. Honestly. I've just been feeling a bit under the weather since my bother left. Everyone has been so busy, I'm just having trouble adjusting to being on my own so much." She told them both.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend much time with you back in Camelot. I really have been busy." Morgana said, realising what Lillian was saying.

"It's fine, Morgana. You're the king's ward, of course you are going to be busy. I understand." She told the woman, wanting the conversation to be over already. She didn't care about hearing people excuses, she was past caring now.

Arthur continued to train the man for the rest of the day, and refused to let the women join in the fight. Lillian already knew that he would refuse, saying that it was too dangerous, but she wasn't going to listen to him any more.

"Do you think Lillian is alright? I'm worried about her." Gwen whispered through the darkness.

Morgana let out a sigh. "She isn't alright. It's clear that something is wrong, but she won't speak to anyone about it. She has always been like this."

"Like what?" Gwen asked her curiously.

"Caring about others more than herself. She won't tell us because she knows there are people out there with worse problems."

"But she should still be able to talk to us about it. I mean, it isn't healthy for her to keep everything bottle up." Gwen protested.

"That's Lillian." There were a few moments of silence before someone spoke again.

"Lillian's right. We don't stand a chance." Gwen whispered to Morgana that night while almost everyone was sleeping.

"Arthur can't see that. He's too stubborn." She replied.

"Why do you think he came here?" Lillian may have had her eyes closed, but she was far from asleep, and now she felt that Merlin was awake as well.

"The same reason we did. Arthur may act like he doesn't care, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't." Morgana told her quietly. Lillian knew that was true, no matter how much he tried to deny it, Merlin was a friend, and he would help him. It just hurt her to know that he didn't care about her anymore.

"_Lillian, he does care about you. You know that." _ Merlin whispered through her mind.

"_Go away, Merlin." _

He sat up from his bed and looked past Arthur to see her lying there, facing him. Her eyes were tightly shut but he could see the wetness on her face. _"You've been crying again."_ He said, letting out a mental sigh.

She quickly used the back of her hand to wipe her face. _"No, I haven't." _She mumbled to him, wanting to just be left alone.

Merlin watched her for a few more minutes and saw fresh tears trail down her face. With a heavy sigh he lay back down and closed his eyes. Every night since they had left Camelot, he had caught her crying, even though she would never admit it. Merlin didn't know what to do any more, nothing he said helped.

It seemed that Lillian and Merlin weren't the only ones who were awake during Morgana and Gwen's conversation. Arthur had also been awake, watching the woman who was just out of reach of him. He knew something was going on, he could tell by the way Merlin was acting. And he was damned if he was going to let it continue. He was going to find out.

"We're not going to be able to defend Ealdor with sword and sinew alone." Arthur announced to the villagers the next day. "We're going to need a plan. We need to find some way of limiting their mobility and drawing them into a trap. If we fight them on their terms, then…" He was cut short by a woman screaming from outside.

It didn't take long for everyone to rush outside to see what had happened. "Get him down from there!" Arthur ordered when he saw Matthew slumped over a horse. The prince noticed the arrow in his back, with a note attached to it.

"What does it say?" Merlin asked nervously.

"Make the most of this day, it will be your last." Arthur read from the parchment. A woman came over, screaming and crying for Matthew.

"You did this!" Will shouted at Arthur. "Look what you've done! You killed him!" He proclaimed.

"It wasn't his fault." Merlin said, trying to defend his prince and friend.

"If he hadn't been strutting around, treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened!" Will concluded.

Lillian snapped, again. She just wanted to smack Will's head against a brick wall. It couldn't do him any harm. "These men are brave enough to fight for what they believe in, even if you aren't." She hissed at him, letting her temped start to get the better of her.

Will ignored her and carried on looking at the prince. "You're sending them to their graves. You killed one man. How many more need to die before you realise this is a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes, you haven't got a change. You're gonna be slaughtered."

Lillian watched as Will stomped off back to his house. She was fuming, she was letting her emotions get the better of her, and now her magic was building so much that she felt like she was about to explode.

While Merlin ran after Will, Lillian decided to head away from the village a little. "Lillian, where are you going? It's not safe." Arthur called after her, jogging to catch her up.

"Oh, what do you care?" She mumbled to herself.

"Lillian, where are you going?" He called to her again. Once he realised she wouldn't stop, he grabbed hold of her wrist. "Lillian…"

"Didn't I tell you not to touch me?" She growled at him, trying to pull herself away.

"Will you just tell me what's wrong?" He pleaded with her, while she just continued to glare at him. "Lillian, please talk to me." He could see the tears building in her eyes.

"You're hurting me." She told him not breaking their gaze. He looked down and it was only then that he realised how tightly he had been gripping her wrist. The moment he let go, she pulled it away from him, and carried on walking towards the trees.

Arthur wanted to follow her, but he knew it would do little good. He headed back towards Hunith's home and sat down on a stump before sharpening his sword.

"William's father was killed fighting for Cenred, so he doesn't trust anyone of nobility." Merlin told him as he joined him.

"Do you think the villagers believed him?"

"No. He's always been a troublemaker. They're used to ignoring him." The warlock told him, trying to ease his mind.

"And if he's right?" What Will had said had been worrying Arthur, because he knew, to a certain extent, it was true.

"He isn't."

"I'm treating these men like soldiers, and they're not. You've seen them fight. They… they haven't got a clue. You need to tell them all to leave the village before Kanen returns." Arthur insisted. The death of Matthew had made him think about things more seriously.

"No, we're going to stay. We're going to fight, and we're going to win." Merlin told him, so full of hope.

"Merlin, it can't be done. The odds are too great."

"It can." He insisted. "We're going to make Kanen rue the day he ever came to this village. All you need to do is get the men ready for battle, and the rest will take care of itself."

"How?" Arthur couldn't see the hope, he was starting to lose faith in everything.

"You've just got to believe in them. Because if you don't, they'll sense it, and the battle will be lost before it's even begun." His servant informed him.

They stayed in silent for some time, Merlin hoping that he had gotten through to his master and Arthur was actually thinking about it. They both knew that they needed to fight if they were going to rid the village of Kanen for good. But Will's words still kept swimming in Arthur's head.

"_Merlin?"_ He heard Lillian calling to him.

"_What's wrong?" _He asked, sensing that needed him.

"_Is everyone okay in the village?" _She asked him.

"_As okay as can be expected. Where are you?"_ He had noticed that she had disappeared and had not seen her for some time now.

"_Out by the forest a little. I just needed to get away from everything for a while. I'm just struggling to deal with everything with Arthur here." _She told him honestly. If the prince had not been there, she probably would have been fine, but he was. And the truth was, the village needed him.

"Arthur, where's Lillian?" The warlock asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to find out what he knew.

"I don't know. She was heading towards the trees lining the village a while ago." He stopped sharpening his sword again and looked at his servant. "Something's wrong, and I don't know what it is. She won't talk to me, she won't even let me touch her."

Merlin let out a sigh. "She's just been having a bad few days." He told him.

"Merlin, she has cried every night we have been here. Don't try to deny it, I saw it. Last night, she was crying and you saw her. You know what's going on, Merlin, and I expect you to tell me." Arthur was irritated to say the least.

"It's not my place to say anything about it. All I know is that she has been upset since before we even left Camelot, and she's been thinking of leaving and going back to Rolana, for good." Merlin told him, his voice sad and concerned.

"But why? There must be some reason for why she suddenly wants to leave." Arthur pressed, hoping that his friend would tell him exactly what had been going on.

"Maybe you should have realised this back in Camelot. Taken the time to notice how she was feeling back then. I fear it's too late now." Merlin said, letting out a sigh. It was going to take a lot to sort out the mess that had been created. He thought that they were finally getting closer, that Arthur was going to see what he had.

"I've messed everything up, haven't I, Merlin?" Arthur knew that it was something he had done, Merlin had made that clear, and so had Lillian. He just wished he knew exactly what it had been.

"I don't know. Maybe it's not too late to change things. Tell her how you really feel instead of being a prat all the time."

Lillian eventually came back to the village just as it was getting dark. Her time away from everything had helped her to calm down. But now, she was in a building, packed with villagers while Arthur wanted to outline the plan.

"Tomorrow morning, the woman and children should gather what belongings they can carry and go back to the woods." He said.

Straight away Lillian stepped forward. She didn't come all this way just to run away. "We're not going anywhere." She told the prince firmly.

Arthur couldn't look at her. He knew she was already upset and angry with him, he didn't want to have a fight with her now. "I know you want to help, but the woman can't stay here, it's too dangerous." He told her softly.

"The women have as much right to fight for their lives as the men do." She protested, knowing that all eyes were on her and the prince.

"But none of you know how to fight."

Lillian let the comment slid. She certainly knew how to fight, and so did Morgana. Gwen was pretty handy with a sword as well, and Arthur knew all of this. "The more of us there are, the better chance we stand." Lillian's words caused all the women in the room to take a step forward, all of them agreeing with her.

"This is your home. If you want to fight to defend it, that's your choice. I'd be honoured to stand alongside you." He finally relented, finally listened. "Kanen attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill, whish is why he will never defeat us. Look around. In this circle, we're all equals. You're not fighting because someone's ordering you to. You're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes." He told them.

Something inside of Lillian stirred as she listened to the prince. This was the man she knew he could be. "You fight for your family. You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace. And if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes. Fighting for your very right to survive." The prince continued. "And when you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day, and you'll know you earned the right to live every day in between. So you fight. For your family. For your friends. For Ealdor!" He finished, holding up his sword.

"For Ealdor!" The villagers cheered, following Arthur and brandishing their swords and fists in the air.

As they chanted, Lillian slowly slipped out of the building and into the cool night air. Tomorrow was the day that would decide the fate of the village and it's people. She knew it was going to be difficult, and that not everyone would make it to see another sunset, but she had hope. She had hope that they would succeed and end the terror that Kanen brought upon them.

* * *

**A/N: Isn't Lillian being a stubborn pain? In fact, I think she might just be worse than Arthur at the moment. **

**Anyway, thank you all for the brilliant reviews. You guys always make me smile. And thank you to all those new followers and people who have favourited. You guys really do rock. **

**Getting closer to Lillian revealing something. Has anyone worked out why she's just the little bit more special yet? **

**Pippa.**


	15. The Moment of Truth Pt3

The next day, Lillian was caught by Hunith just as she was about to leave the house and help Merlin. "Arthur didn't eat breakfast this morning." The woman told her, holding out the bowl towards her.

With a heavy sigh she took it from her. "I will take it to him. Thank you, Hunith, for everything you have done for all of us." The woman just smiled at her as she left and headed towards the woods where Arthur was keeping watch.

When she spotted him, she took a deep breath. "Arthur, Hunith made you some food." Lillian said, passing the bowl to him.

"Thanks." He said, before looking at the food. "I think."

Lillian, who was already starting to walk away stopped and turned to face him. "Food is scared for these people, you shouldn't turn your nose up at it." She said, glaring at him.

Arthur just looked at her. That was the first time she had really spoken to him since they arrived in Ealdor. "Thank you. You're right. I should have listened to you and Morgana. We're going to need all the help we can get." He muttered the last part a little quieter, but Lillian still heard him.

"These people have faith in you. As long as they have faith, and air in their lungs, they will fight with everything they have." Lillian told him, getting ready to turn and walk away again.

"And what about you, Lillian? Do you have faith in me." He was curious and nervous about her answer.

"Yes." She told him, before walking back towards the village and leaving him there to eat on his own.

She headed back into the house and get herself ready for battle. "Are you okay?" Morgana asked her, helping her with her chainmail.

"Yes." She answered quietly. "Morgana, I want you to know, that… that you have always been like a sister to me. When we were growing up, and when I returned. I'll always remember that."

Morgana stared at her, a little shocked from what she was saying. "What's brought this on all of a sudden?" She asked her.

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you. And no matter what happens, I know that you were always my friend." Lillian said, finishing getting herself ready.

"You're talking as if we're not going to live through this."

"No, I'm talking as if I won't live through this. And I'm okay with that." She said, before sheathing her sword and walking out of the building. This whole trip had killed her in side. She had come to realise that she didn't mean as much to Arthur as she once thought she did, but that he would still turn into the great king he was meant to without her.

She took a deep breath as she walked among the villagers, greeting them, and helping them prepare themselves. Everything for the trap had been set, all they had to do now was wait.

It was not long later when Morgana came rushing past her. "They've crossed the river." She informed her, as she ran to tell Arthur. Lillian nodded and lined up with the villagers, ready to defend their home till their dying breath.

"Are you frightened?" Arthur asked Gwen, who was standing next to her.

"Not in the slightest." She replied to him, sounding very nervous. After shaking Arthur's hand she ran off, getting into her position.

He moved along the line and stopped in front of Lillian. He didn't really know what to say to her, he could see so much fear and sadness in her eyes, yet he couldn't understand her. ""Lillian, there is still time. You do not have to fight." He told her, his voice full of emotion.

"Yes I do. These people need help, and I am going to help them." She told him, trying to sound strong.

"I am begging you, reconsider."

"No. I'm fighting to the death today. To free this village and it's people. I'm doing this for Merlin." The warlock reached out and gave her hand a squeeze when she said it, and he was amazed by the amount of magic he felt surge between them.

He had never felt anything so strong before, and it was all coming from Lillian. It made him wonder just how powerful she really was. It was very rare for her to use her magic, he had only seen it a hand full of times. But he knew that she was powerful, and something told him that she knew it as well.

Arthur just held out his hand, wondering if this one time, she would let him touch her. That was when Merlin dropped her hand and gave her a nudge with his arm. Hesitantly, she gripped hold of his hand, and without warning, he pulled her towards him and ended up hugging her.

"Lily, please. I don't want you to fight. I don't want anything to happen to you." He pleaded with her. "I can't lose you, not again. I won't." Both she and Merlin could hear the determination in his voice.

Without realising, she had wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Arthur, I have to do this. There is nothing you, nor anyone else can say to make me change my mind." She told him, before stepping away.

"Lily, I need you to know…"

"Arthur, now isn't the time." She told him firmly, not wanting to hear what he had to say and knowing that Kanen was growing ever closer.

The three of them ran to their hiding positions, meeting some of the villagers when they got there. "Hold. No one moves until they give the signal." He ordered, as Kanen and his men rode out of the first and into then empty looking village. "Hold."

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Kanen sung, a smug and disgusting grin on his scarred face.

We watched, and we waited. "Now, Morgana." Arthur growled, waiting for the signal. "What are you waiting for?"

"Something's gone wrong." Lillian said before really thinking about it. She looked over and saw Merlin making a run for it. "Merlin!" She cried quietly. _"Idiot."_

"There's one. Get him." Kanen ordered as he spotted Merlin running across the village.

Lillian's eyes were searching everywhere to help Merlin get to Morgana safely. _"Arrow, duck."_ She cried. _"Right leg!" _She cried as another arrow went towards his leg.

"_Thanks." _He called to her as he reached Morgana, who was struggling to start the fire. Suddenly the flames flared up, trapping Kanen and his men.

"Go back! Go the other way." Kanen shouted as he avoided the flames. The plan had worked, and they were trapped.

"Now!" Arthur cried, charging into battle.

Lillian wasted no time in getting caught in the battle. She didn't hold back, she fought with all her might, knowing that she was protect people who were innocent and deserved to live. She noticed Arthur and Morgana easily cutting their way through the men. She also spotted Merlin's friend Will save him, and join in the fight. He finally realised what was worth fighting for.

As she scanned the village, she knew they were out numbered. That was when she felt a surge of magic around her. _"Merlin, what are you doing?"_ She asked him in a panic, realising it was coming from him.

"_There's too many of them for you to take, but not for me."_ He told her, before casting a spell.

A wind started to pick up around Will and Merlin, and it wasn't only Lillian who had noticed. A tornado began to sweep across the village, breaking up the fighting and sending Kanen's men to either flee or fall from their mounts. Even the villagers were being swept off their feet.

When the wind died down, the villagers were back to attacking, and not only that, but they were winning. The remaining men fled, and the villagers all cheered. Lillian didn't feel much like celebrating with the way Arthur was too busy staring at Merlin and Will. Also, there was a large slash in her trousers from where she hadn't been able to move quickly enough. There was blood pouring from it, and so she quickly put her hand over it, muttered a few words, and the bleeding stopped.

"Pendragon!" Kanen shouted, clearly not happy with the way things had turned out.

Arthur knew what was coming next, and as Kanen removed his helmet, Arthur prepared himself for the duel. Lillian was more on edge now while he was fighting Kanen than when he had been fighting the other men.

But it was over quick enough, and Arthur ran the man through and he fell to the ground. "Who did that?" Arthur bellowed, marching towards Merlin and Will with a face like thunder. Lillian could sense Merlin panicking.

"What?" The warlock asked him, acting dumb.

"Wind like that doesn't just appear from nowhere. I know magic when I see it. One of you made that happen."

"Arthur…" Merlin started, only to be cut off by two people yelling.

"Arthur!" Lillian cried, noticing Kanen reaching for the crossbow lying before him.

"Look out!" Will shouted, grabbing Arthur and pulling him out of the way, getting hit by the arrow that was meant for Arthur.

Lillian rushed over to where Will was now laying on the floor, his friend down at his side.

"You just saved my life." Arthur stated in shock.

"Yeah. Don't know what I was thinking," Will told him cockily.

Lillian knew in an instant that he wasn't going to last long. The arrow was deep, and pulling it out would only cause more damage. "Come on, get him inside." She said, helping Merlin to get him up. Some of the other villagers came over and helped them.

"_Lillian, what happened to your leg?"_ Merlin asked her, noticing her limping slightly.

"_Nothing. It's fine. Worry about Will."_ She told him, not looking at him.

"That's twice I've saved you." Will said, once he was in his home and placed on the table.

"Twice?" Arthur questioned, not knowing what he was trying to say.

"Yeah, it was me. I'm the one that used the magic."

"Will, don't." Merlin protested, only to get a strange look from Arthur.

"It's alright, Merlin. I wont be alive long enough for anyone to do anything to me. I did it. I saw how desperate things were becoming and I had to do something." Will said, trying to fight off the pain.

"You're a sorcerer?" Arthur asked him, not able to believe him.

"Yeah. What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Will let his sarcasm shine through, even with all the pain he was suffering.

"No. Of course not." Arthur said before turning to Merlin and Lillian. "Do what you can for him."

Merlin nodded while Lillian just stood there as Arthur led everyone else out of the house. "I was right about him." Will said. "I told you he was going to get me killed."

"You're not going to die." Merlin told his friend, trying to reassure him and bring him some hope, even though he himself had none left to give.

"You're a good man, Merlin. A great man. And one day, you're going to be servant to a great king. Now you can still make that happen." He was struggling to breath a little, and Lillian knew his time was very short.

"Thanks to you." There was nothing the warlock could say that would show his gratitude to his friend for not only saving the prince, but also for keeping his secret and covering for him.

"This place has been boring without you. It was good to see you again."

Merlin smiled a little. "Yeah, you too."

"You'll look after him, won't you?" Will said, looking at Lillian.

"Of course I will. We look after each other." She told him, taking hold of his hand. "I'm sorry for being so nasty to you."

Will tried to laugh at her. "You had every right to be. I can see how much Merlin means to you. If it wasn't for you, maybe I wouldn't have come back."

"Well, I'm glad you did, but I'm sorry this is how it has ended." She said sadly.

"Don't be. I got to meet a beautiful princess. What more could I ask for?" Lillian couldn't reply to him as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Merlin… Merlin, I'm scared." He said, letting his own tears fall.

"Don't be. It's going to be alright." He assured him.

"Merlin…" He called, before letting out his last breath. Lillian kissed the top of Will's head before turning to Merlin and embracing him in a hug.

Merlin had just lost one of his oldest and closest friends. He had almost revealed his secret, and Arthur had almost been killed. If anything, he needed a friend right now, and Lillian knew she wanted to be that friend. She could feel all of his emotions, and they were stronger because of how close they physically were.

"I'm so sorry, Merlin." She whispered to him.

"I know." He mumbled, before letting his tears fall onto her shoulder.

After that, Lillian didn't leave Merlin's side and they stood together as they watched Will's body burn on the funeral pyre.

"I'm sorry. I know he was a close friend." Arthur told him.

"He still is." The young man replied, not taking his eyes from the pyre.

"You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you? That's what you were going to tell me?"

Merlin thought about it for a second before answering him. "Yes. It was."

"You know how dangerous magic is. You shouldn't have kept this from me, Merlin." The prince said, before walking off and over to Morgana and Gwen.

"You better be going." Hunith told them as she approached the pair.

"I don't have to go." Merlin told her, turning to face her.

"Yes, you do."

"If anything were to happen to you…"

"I know where to find you. You have to go, Merlin. You belong at Arthur's side with Lillian. I've seen how much he needs you, how much you need him. You're like two sides of the same coin." Hunith said

Lillian and Merlin grinned at each other. "We've heard someone say that before." He told her, before hugging her. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too. When you left, you were just a boy. Now look at you. I'm so proud of you." Hunith said, before letting him go.

"Thank you for looking after us while we have been here, Hunith. It has been an honour to have met Merlin's mother." Lillian said, smiling away at the woman.

"Oh no, the honour has been mine, Lillian. I'm glad to see that my boy has someone a wonderful as you as a friend." The woman replied, also smiling away. "Make sure you look after her as well, Merlin." She said to her son before turning back to Lillian. "And don't let that prince get you down. Talk to him, sort things out." All Lillian could do was nod at her, before she was hugged by her.

"Come on, Lillian, I really need to look at your leg." Merlin said, pulling her away from his mother and over to a tree stump to sit down. "What are you going to do?" He asked her, now that they were away from the crowd.

Lillian shrugged at him. "I honestly don't know. I think I need to get away from Camelot, clear my head properly. I think I will go back to Rolana, until I know what to do." She told him as he carefully tended to her leg.

"But you'll come back?" He asked, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"I don't know." She whispered to him.

"Merlin, Lillian, we need to start heading back to Camelot." Arthur called to them.

"In a minute, Arthur, I need to tend to Lillian's wound." Merlin said, earning him a smack on the head from the woman. "What?" He asked her questioningly as Arthur jogged over.

"You didn't need to tell him that." She hissed at him as the prince arrived.

"What happened?" Arthur asked, looking down at her leg.

"It's just a cut. I was more fortunate than others to have walked away with such a minor injury." Lillian told him, keeping her eyes on Merlin's hands as they worked.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" He growled at her in frustration.

"I did. I told Merlin." She nodded to the man who was almost finished wrapping a bandage around her wound.

"Gaius will need to take a better look at it when we get back, but it looks good." Merlin said as he stood up.

"Thank you, Merlin. Now, I believe, we are ready to leave." Lillian said, limping towards her horse, leaving the prince and warlock behind, staring at her.

"You really need to talk to her, Arthur." Merlin told him quietly. "As soon as we get back to Camelot, she plans to leave for Rolana." Arthur looked at him in shock. "You're going to lose her." He said, before chasing after Lillian and forcing her to let him help her to walk.

The ride back to Camelot had been a quiet one, everyone had been reflecting on the events of the past few days. Merlin was mourning the loss of his friend, while Arthur and Lillian were both trying to work out what to do.

The moment they made it through the gates, the king summoned Arthur, Lillian and Morgana. He had not been happy when he discovered that all three of them had gone missing. And when he learnt about where they had been, he was even less happy. Lillian knew that Uther was disappointed in her, and that he had no doubt already informed her brother of what she had done. But she was ready for him to come and take her back to Rolana and she welcomed it.

Once he had finished scolding them like children, she returned to her chamber. The first thing she noticed was a vase of flowers on the table, with a note sitting beside it. She picked up the note and read it. It was from Arthur, but it was clear that Merlin had written it. It only said two words, I'm sorry. She let out a huff and put it back down. It was nice of him to say sorry, but it would be nicer if she knew what he saw saying sorry for.

"_How did it go with the king?"_ Merlin asked her a little while later.

"_Same old thing. This is not acceptable, you should have known better. I am very disappointed, I shall be informing your brother. Exactly what I expected."_ She told him.

"_Have you spoken to Arthur?"_ There was a little hint of hope in his voice when he asked.

"_No. But thank you for the flowers, Merlin. They really are lovely."_

"_No. No, no. They're not from me."_ He protested. _"Those are from Arthur."_

"_Yeah, shame he couldn't be bothered to pick them himself or write the note himself either. What exactly is he sorry for? Being a prat?"_ She asked him, letting her frustration spill out a little.

"_You really should talk to him, Lillian. Especially if you're going back to Rolana."_

She let out a sigh. _"If he wants to talk to me, he knows where I am. Why should I go out of my way to talk to him when he just doesn't have the time? If he can fit me into his busy schedule before I leave, then fine."_

Merlin left her alone after that, and Lillian readied herself for bed. It was strange to be back in a comfortable bed, instead on of the floor, but at least she knew that no one would see her crying tonight. She climbed into her bed, and cried herself to sleep.

"Poor, Lillian. Crying over a the prince." Someone whispered to her. Her eyes flew open and she looked at the woman standing next to her bed. "He broke your heart. How can you ever forgive him for that?" The woman with dark hair and wearing a tattered red dress asked her.

"This has nothing to do with you, Nimueh." Lillian spat at her, reaching under her pillow for her dagger. _"Merlin, get to my chamber. Now!" _She shouted.

"_Lillian, what's wrong?"_ He could sense fear and panic radiation from her.

"_Get here, right now."_

"There is still time. Join with me, have your revenge on Arthur Pendragon. Help to restore magic to this land." Nimueh asked her sweetly.

"I would never join you. I told you once, and I shall tell you only one more time. I will never join you, I would never see any harm come to Arthur." Lillian told her, pulling the dagger out from under her pillowed and launching at Nimueh with it.

Unfortunately, the woman was quick and managed to move out of the way in time. "Such a shame. Such as waste. If you will not join me, then you are an enemy." She said, a vial magically appearing in her hands. "You are loyal to the Pendragon family. You fight alongside them, you fight against magic."

"I do not fight against magic. I want magic to return to this land, but your way, is not the only way to achieve this. There is a better way, and that is the path that I am following." Lillian told her, going for another attack. _"Merlin, please. Where are you?" _She cried, knowing that if he didn't hurry, she would have to fight with her own magic.

"Do not think you can kill me." Nimueh told her smugly, grabbing hold of her. "You will die for your treachery, Lily of the Valley." She told her, before tugging at her hair and pulling her head back. "Don't worry, this will make you forget all about Arthur Pendragon. This will stop your heart from beating. Take your last breath." She said, before forcing the contents of the vial down Lillian's throat.

She let her go and she fell to the floor, struggling to breath. But Lillian wasn't going to give up yet. She reached for her dagger that had also fallen and thrust it into Nimueh's side. The woman cried in pain, before hitting Lillian around the face and dropping the empty vial.

"You're silly little blades cannot kill me. I am a High Priestess." Nimueh told her smugly. "We could have done amazing things together. But you would choose your love over your own kind. You deserve nothing less than death." She said, before vanishing into thin air.

"_Merlin, please."_ Lillian cried, using a chair to pull herself up. She could feel her body slowly shutting down. "Cwæ ályne." She whispered, her eyes flashing gold. She felt the shut down stop, but she was weak.

She tried to drag herself across the room and to the door, she only made it a few steps before she fell to the ground unconscious. As she went, her arm swiped the vase with the flowers in off the table and it tumbled to the floor, clattering against the stone.

Merlin had just reached the end of the corridor when he heard a crash coming from Lillian's chamber. It seemed that he was not the only one, as the door to Arthur's chamber flew open. "It wasn't me." Merlin protested, knowing that the prince was likely to think it was him dropping something.

"Then what was it?" Arthur asked, looking down the corridor.

"_Lillian? Is everything okay?" _Merlin called to her. But she didn't answer him, in fact, he could hardly sense her at all. "Lillian." He shouted, running past Arthur and to her chamber.

Arthur was right behind him, a panicked expression cast across his face. They noticed water pooling from under the door, which made both the men even more nervous. Merlin threw the door open, and his eyes widened when he saw Lillian.

She was lying on the floor, unconscious, extremely pale, and barely breathing. Arthur thought that his heart was going to break at the sight of her. "We need Gaius." Merlin stated, kneeling on the floor and checking Lillian over. "Arthur!" He shouted, getting him to snap out of it. "Gaius, now!" He ordered. He didn't care about the way he was speaking to the prince, Lillian's life was in danger.

"Lillian, can you hear me?" Merlin asked, and Arthur called for the guards and ordered them to get Gaius immediately. "Come on, Lillian. You need to wake up." Merlin pleaded.

Arthur looked around the room and noticed the bloody dagger. "Someone was in here." He said, going and picking it up. "Someone done this to her."

Merlin wasn't listening to the prince, he was trying to get through to Lillian. _"Come on, you have to be alright. You have to get through this, Lillian. I can't do this without you. We have a destiny remember?" _

"_Merlin…"_ Lillian faintly called to him. _"Nimueh… poison…"_ She managed to get through to him, before he felt her fade further away from him.

"_No!" _He cried. _"Lillian, stay with me, come on."_ He pleaded.

Arthur pushed the warlock away from the princess and gently gathered her into his arms. He walked over to her bed, and carefully placed her down on it. He couldn't even begin to describe how he was feeling. She looked so fragile, as if she was going to die any second. "Lily, you're going to be alright, you have to be alright." He whispered to her, holding back the water that was threatening to blur his vision.

* * *

**A/N: Lillian really does like to have mood swings doesn't she? She has her reasons for being upset with Arthur, and he has his reasons for spending little time with her. All shall be revealed soon. I promise.**

**So, there is a poll up on my profile. As I have mentioned before, I have been working on another Merlin story. A 21st century girl in Camelot. I'm taking votes to decide if I should start posting it yet or not. I leave it down to you, the lovely readers, to decide. **

**And, as always, a missive thank you to everyone who has reviewed. They really do make my day. So keep them coming. Also a big thank you to everyone who has followed/favourited the story as well.**

**I hope you guys keep enjoying it. **

**Pippa.**


	16. Stronger than Poison

Gaius rushed into Lillian's chamber, worry etched all over his face. "What happened?" He asked, as he went straight over to Lillian's side and began to check her over.

"We don't really know. We both heard something and we found her lying on the floor." Merlin told the physician.

Arthur, who had not left Lillian's side decided to speak up. "She was attacked. Someone was in here." He looked over at the dagger that was now on the table. "She sleeps with that under her pillow, the only reason it would have been out is if she had used it."

Merlin went over and inspected it. He hadn't known she had slept with that. But Arthur was right, she had used it, there was blood still on it. All Merlin could think about was the way she was calling for him. He had never heard her sound so scared before.

"There are no external injuries that I can see." Gaius said, after checking her over. "But I am afraid it does not look good. What ever has happened to her, who ever done this, they wanted her dead."

As the young warlock put the dagger down, he noticed something on the floor. He bent down and saw a glass vial under the table. He instantly picked it up, and his eyes widened in horror when he felt the magic coming from it.

"Gaius, I think she was poisoned." Merlin said, handing him the bottle.

The old man took the vial from him and sniffed it before grimacing a little. His face fell when he recognised the smell from it. "If this is what I think it is, then I am afraid Princess Lillian has little time left." Gaius announced.

"There must be something you can do." Merlin pleaded. Arthur had been unusually quiet, the prince had just sat on the bed, holding Lillian's hand tightly and gazing at her.

"If my suspicious are correct, then I am afraid there is nothing anyone can do." He said, hinting at Merlin that even magic couldn't save her. "I will need to study the vial more closely." He said, looking at Arthur.

"Do what you can, Gaius." He said quietly, keeping his attention on Lillian. Merlin and Gaius both slipped out of the room.

The prince didn't move. He just stayed there with Lillian, holding her hand tightly. He could feel the heat leaving her body and pulled the covers over her to try and keep her warm. If he ever found out who done this to her, he would kill them without hesitation.

Once Merlin and Gaius were in the chamber they shared, the warlock told Gaius what he knew. "It was Nimueh, Lillian told me." Gaius just looked at him in shock. "She was calling for me, begging me to get to her. She was so scared, Gaius."

"Why Nimueh would want to kill Lillian, I am uncertain. Unless it was to break Arthur." The old man told him. "Everyone knows how close they are, even if they cannot see it themselves. Lillian's death will surely break Arthur, and Camelot will be weakened." He concluded.

"We can't let her die, Gaius. There has to be something we can do." Merlin pleaded. He wasn't about to let his friend die, he wasn't going to let this happen to her.

"I am afraid, if this is what I think it is, there is nothing even you can do to save her." The physician told him sorrowfully.

"What do you think it is?"

"Monkshood." There was a grim expression on his face. "There is no cure. Although, it should have already killed her. She is strong to be fighting it for so long, but she will not last. There is nothing that can save her."

"We have to do something, Gaius. I will not watch her die." Merlin decreed, charging into his room and pulling out his magic book. "There has to be something in here that can help." He mumbled to himself.

The warlock eventually fell asleep, his book in his lap as he had been endlessly searching for something that could save Lillian. _"Merlin…" _A voice called in his head. _"Merlin…"_ He let out a groan as he recognised who was calling him.

He made his way down to the dungeons and through the stone tunnel that led to the great dragon. "What do you want?" The warlock snapped at him.

"Your destiny, and the future of Albion is in danger. What has happened, young warlock?" The dragon asked in concern from the rock he was perched on.

"It's Lillian, she's been poisoned." He told him, trying to control his emotions. "I can't even feel her anymore. Gaius says she won't make it through till morning."

"No!" The dragon screamed. "She has to live. Who did this to her?" He demanded to know.

"Lillian told me it was Nimueh."

"The High Priestess of the Old Religion see's her as a threat. But Lillian is stronger than any of you know." Kilgharrah told him.

"There is no cure for Monkshood. I've searched for something that I can do to help, but there is nothing. My magic is useless. She's going to die." Merlin said, letting a tear slip down his cheek.

"The young sorceress is strong, and stubborn. The poison should have killed her within minutes. And yet she has lasted hours." The dragon told him.

"But she won't last much longer, she is still going to die." Merlin spat at him.

"The Princess Lillian does not have to die."

"What do you mean? There is a way to save her?" Merlin asked, a little bit of hope reaching him.

"She must need a reason to live. She is the only one who can save herself. Her magic can rid her body of the poison, but only if she wants it to, young warlock. I suggest you find a reason for her to live." Kilgharrah told him, before flapping his giant wings and disappearing out of sight.

He stood there in confusion for a few minutes, thinking over what the dragon had said. He knew she was strong, but not strong enough to cure herself of a deadly poison. How could she be? How could anyone?

He kept thinking it over as he made his way to Lillian's chamber. When he got there, he saw that Arthur was still there, still holding her hand and still gazing at her lifeless form in the bed.

"How is she?" Merlin asked him quietly.

"I'm losing her, Merlin. Gaius has told me that she won't last much long, she will never see another sun rise." The prince told him regretfully. "He has told me there is no cure, even the strongest magic wouldn't be able to save her."

"Lillian doesn't need magic. I don't care what anyone say's, she will make it." Merlin said, the determination in his voice causing the prince to look at him.

"It's hopeless, Merlin. There is nothing that can save her." Arthur closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You can't think like that, Arthur." The warlock persisted. "We both know she is a lot stronger than she looks. She is fighting, holding onto the last bit of life she has left. You need to believe in her, have faith in her. The faith that she has always had in you."

Arthur just shook his head. "I let her down, Merlin. I wasn't there for her when she needed me. The whole time we were in Ealdor, she couldn't even look at me."

Merlin sighed, it was time the prince heard the truth. "She thinks you no longer care about her." He admitted.

"What? Why would she think that?"

"After her brother left, you avoided her as much as you could. At one point, you were inseparable, where one of you was, so was the other. The amount of times I came into your chamber to find her in there with you, well I lost count." He thought back to the mornings where he found the pair of them curled up in Arthur's bed together. He knew nothing had happened, Arthur had more respect for her than to take advantage. Most of the time he was comforting her.

"Once King Irwin left, the pair of you drifted apart. She spent so much time alone in her chamber, just watching the world go by. Even Morgana was too busy to spend time with her, and you know those two are like sisters." Merlin told him.

"I didn't mean to… I mean, I just…" Arthur was struggling to find his words.

"When you met up with us at the camp on the way to Ealdor, that was when it hit her the hardest."

The prince looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Do you not remember what she said, Arthur? You hadn't even noticed that she was missing."

"I didn't think…"

"That's your problem, Arthur, you don't think. Sometimes you do the most stupid things. If only you would stop and think once in a while, none of this may have happened." Merlin's emotions were running wild, and starting to show now as well. "You were right about one thing, every night we were away from Camelot, she cried. She cried because of you."

"I don't understand. What did I do to make her cry?" Arthur asked him, feeling even more confused now than ever.

"Are you really that stupid? Do you really need me to spell it out to you?" Merlin growled. "You were avoiding her, you didn't even notice she was gone. What would you think if she done that to you? How would that make you feel?" He spat at him, forgetting his place and speaking what he really felt.

"But I thought… I thought that…" Merlin was actually a little shocked that the prince seemed to be so lost for words at the moment, but he took advantage of it.

"What did you think, Arthur? Did you think that she wouldn't notice? That it wouldn't upset her? Did you think that she would just carry on being the good little princess that is expected of her?"

"I never meant for any of this to happen." Arthur told him. "This isn't how I wanted things to be. The way she looked at me in Ealdor, it killed me, Merlin. She wouldn't talk to me, she didn't want to be anywhere near me. What am I meant to think from that?" He asked his servant.

"You're meant to think of the reasons for why she was suddenly being like that. You know her inside out, Arthur. You've been best friends for so long, you know each other better than anyone else." The warlock told him.

Before Arthur had a chance to reply, there was a gently knocking at the door. Merlin got up from where he was sitting on the other side of the bed and opened the door.

"Merlin, tell me it's not true. Please, tell me Lillian is going to be fine." Morgana asked, tears streaming down her face.

"I don't know, Morgana. She's held on longer than anyone should." Merlin told her, stepping away from the door and letting her in to see Lillian.

"Surely there is something that can be done?" She asked, looking at her friend in the bed.

"There isn't." Arthur told her bluntly. "Princess Lillian will not be with us for much longer."

"How can you give up on her so easily?" Morgana shouted at him. "She would never give up on you. She would fight with every thing she has for you."

"Morgana, if there was anything that could be done, I would do it in a heartbeat, but there is no cure." Arthur told her, keeping his eyes firmly locked onto Lillian's pale face. There was no colour left in her cheeks, and her breathing was so shallow and faint, that he didn't even know if she was breathing at all half of the time.

Merlin just shook his head and stepped over to Morgana. "You have to have faith in her, Morgana. I won't give up on her, and I know you won't either. The poison should have killed her hours ago, but she is still with us, and as long as she is breathing, there is hope. I don't care what anyone says, I believe in her."

Morgana nodded at him. "So do I. She was always there for me when I needed her, she believed me when no one else would. When we were in Ealdor, she told me I was like a sister to her, and she was right. I will not give up." She told him with determination, the tears still running down her cheeks.

She walked over to the bed and sat down next to the cold body of the woman she saw as her sister. "I believe in you, Lillian." She whispered to her, before kissing her on the forehead. A tear ran down her face and dripped onto Lillian's cheek, which she carefully wiped away.

"Go get some rest, Morgana." Merlin said to her softly. "I will let you know if anything happens. Just keep having faith in her." He told her.

She nodded at him. "I will, thank you, Merlin." Morgana headed towards the door, stopping just as she reached it. "If it wasn't for you, Arthur, Lillian never would have stayed in Camelot. She would have gone with her brother to Rolana, and she would be safe." She spat at him, before leaving the room.

"Everyone knows something that I don't." Arthur said a while later.

"That's because you're too blind to see it." Merlin mumbled. Everyone could see it, only two had heard it. Merlin was one of those people. "You need to open your eyes and see what is right in front of you, before it really is too late." Merlin told him, before leaning over the bed and kissing Lillian just as Morgana had. _"You have everything to live for, Lillian. Arthur does care, you'll see."_ He called, hoping that she could hear him.

As he left he looked over at Arthur, his was disappointed in him. It was more than just Lillian's life at stake, it was their destiny, their future, the whole of Albion was at stake. And now, it was all left down to one man, the Once and Future King, to fix it.

After Merlin left, Arthur was left in peace with the dying Lillian. He kept thinking over everything that Merlin had told him, and what Morgana had said about her leaving. He already knew that she had stayed because of him. He thought it was because she wanted to be with her best friend, but maybe it was more than that.

He was angry at himself as well, for making her feel like he didn't care. "I'm so sorry, Lily. I never meant to hurt you, I never meant to make you cry." He told her quietly. "It's just… I thought…" He stopped and choked back a sob. "You're my best friend, and I pushed you away because I was scared." He admitted.

"You told Merlin that I was like a brother to you. But you were never my sister, Lily." He was trying to hard to keep himself together, but he knew he was failing. "You were always more than that."

"When Merlin found you in the forest, my heart stopped. I thought you were dead when we found you. The relief I felt when you called my name, I can't even begin to describe it." He told her, gently rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. "I haven't been the greatest of friends, have I? After your brother left, I kept my distance. And it was wrong of me to do that."

He let out a sigh before carrying on. It was time he was honest with her, if this was the last chance he was going to have to tell her, then he was going to take it. "You mean more to me than a sister, Lily. Always remember that. But I thought, by distancing myself from you, I wouldn't feel the way that I do about you. I thought that the less I saw of you, the less I would feel. But I was wrong."

Arthur was glad that there was no one there to witness his confessions. He never would have been able to do it with anyone else there, he probably wouldn't even be able to do it if he knew she could hear him. "The longer I was away from you for, the more it hurt. But I knew that you didn't care for me in the way that I care for you. How could I admit my feelings for you when I knew you wouldn't return them?"

For a moment, he thought her hand was getting slightly warmer. But he knew he was just hanging onto hope, just like Merlin and Morgana were. "I care about you more than anything else, Lily. I know that you would die for me, you told me as much. Well, I would die for you. If I could trade places with you, I would. I would die in your place so that you could see another sun rise."

Arthur got up from the edge he was sitting on, and lay down on top of the covers next to her. "I would do anything for you, Lily. Because I love you, with all my heart." He told her, before letting the tears that had been building fall.

He had finally told her the truth, how he really felt, the reason for why he had been avoiding her. He had been scared of his feelings, and that she would reject him. While she had been scared of him rejecting her. They had both been unable to see that they felt the same way, while everyone else saw it as clear as day.

But him distancing himself from her had been what broke her. That was what gave her the final push to tell her that he didn't care as much as she thought, or as much as she had hoped. And now Arthur knew that it had been his fault, that he shouldn't have done it.

"I was stupid. I'm so sorry, Lily. I wish that you could forgive me for everything. I wish that I could go back and change it. But I promise, I will not leave you." He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. He would never get the chance to kiss her properly, to tell her how much he loved her. That chance was over.

He shifted over and held her closer to him, never wanting to let her go. "I love you, Lily. Please don't leave me." He begged as more tears fell from his face. "I can't lose you."

And that was where Arthur stayed all through the night. He didn't move away from her, and he didn't speak any more. He just held her in his arms and let exhaustion send him to sleep.

When Merlin woke, he saw the morning light shining through his window. He had cried himself to sleep, crying for his friend. He sat up in his bed and looked around the room. Everything still looked the same, it was just another day. But he knew it was going to be a terrible day for everyone.

He left his room and headed out into the main room. Gaius was awake, sitting at the table, staring into space. "Has there been any news, Gaius?" Merlin asked, hoping the dragon had been right.

"Arthur has refused to let anyone in her chamber. He locked the door. No one knows if she is dead or alive. All we do know is that Arthur is grieving." The old man told him.

"I'm going to check on Morgana. She was upset when she found out last night." Merlin told him, leaving the room.

As he walked through the castle, everyone was quiet. The mood was cold and unwelcoming, everyone was feeling very grim after hearing the news of the Princess being on her deathbed.

He gently knocked on Morgana's door, and Gwen opened. She had been crying, it was clear to see from the redness of her eyes. "How is Morgana?" He asked quietly.

Gwen just shook her head and let him into the room. The woman was curled up on the bed, looking almost in as worse a state as Lillian. It was plain to see that she had not slept all night and that she too had been crying.

"Merlin, is there any news?" She asked him, holding back her sobs.

He shook his head at her. "Arthur has locked himself in her chamber and refuses to let anyone in. No one knows how she is." A few more tears rolled down her cheeks at the news. She had been praying for a miracle all night, as had Merlin and Gwen.

"But she could still be alive? We don't know for sure that she has passed?" Gwen asked, her voice shaking a little.

"We have to keep believing in her." Merlin told them. "Arthur would have told us if she had died."

The trio sat together in silence for some time. All thinking about Lillian and how she had impacted their lives. Both Gwen and Morgana enjoyed her company. She was different to everyone else, and she treated Gwen like a person, not just a servant.

To Merlin, she was even more. She had never treated him like a servant, they were bound together through Arthur. They understood each other and trusted each other with everything. The warlock closed his eyes and tried to find her, to feel her presence within him. He was sure that he could still feel here there.

"I need to try and get to Arthur. He has to open the door and let us see her." He said, standing up from the chair he had sat down in.

Once he reached Lillian's chamber, he gently knocked on the door and called for Arthur, but there was no response. Not knowing what else to do, he slid down the wall and sat on the floor, waiting until the time the door would open to him.

Inside the room, Arthur was still holding onto Lillian tightly. The colour had not returned to her, and her body was still cold. He looked down at the body in his arms. "It's morning, Lily." He whispered, knowing that there was no chance she would still be alive now.

He leaned down and kissed her cold lips once again, only he felt her breath on his face. And her lips weren't as cold as they should have been for a dead person.

He pulled his head away and just looked at her. She looked dead. He took his hand and gently placed it on her chest, trying to work out if she really was breathing or if it had been his imagination. His eyes widened when not only did her chest move, but he could feel her heart still beating as well.

I carefully untangled himself from her and bolted to the door. As he unlocked it, Merlin got off the floor and stared at him. "Arthur?" The warlock questioned, not knowing what to say to him.

"She's still alive, Merlin. She's breathing, and I felt her heart beating as well." He told him, not sure if he would believe him.

Merlin darted past him and into the room. He watched the woman in the bed, and sure enough, her chest was rising and falling, as if she were only sleeping. "Come on, Lillian, you can pull through this. I know you can." Merlin said to her, a flood of joy at the news she was still alive.

"How can she still be alive? Gaius said that she would be dead by morning, and yet she isn't." Arthur asked him as he came back over to the bed.

"I don't know. I don't care either, she's alive Arthur, what more do you want?" He couldn't truly explain it. He wondered if something had happened to make her want to live again. Kilgharrah said that she needed a reason to live, had she found that reason?

"What do we do?" Arthur asked him.

"Call the guards, get Gaius up here. She doesn't feel as cold as she was last night either." Merlin said, taking hold of her hand and feeling some warmth coming from her.

While Arthur went to call for Gaius, Merlin worked on trying some more to reach Lillian. _"Come on, Lillian. It's time to come back to us now. You know Arthur cares, we all do. Please, come back to us now."_ He pleaded, hoping that she could somehow hear him.

Both of the men waited, their agitation growing the long Gaius took. When the old physician finally made it, he seemed to be in shock. "She should be dead. I have no idea how she can still be breathing. And getting better as well, by the looks of it." He said, after checking her over.

"You said it was fatal, and that she would be dead by morning." Arthur stated, needing to know what was going on.

"Indeed, sire. It is strange to say the least." Gaius told him.

"Could it have been sorcery?" The prince asked, wanting to go over every possible angle.

"No. And if it were, who would have done it? You are the only person so have been with her, sire. So unless you are a sorcerer, it just isn't possible." Gaius said.

"What do we do, Gaius?" Merlin finally asked him, knowing that there was no way for either of them to understand why she was still alive.

"We keep watch on her. She isn't out of danger yet. I have no idea how she has managed to fight off the poison, but her breathing is normal and her body is slowly starting to function properly." He told the men. "The next few hours will be crucial."

After Gaius left, there had been several visitors. Gwen and Morgana had both come to see her, overjoyed to hear that she was still alive and seemed to be getting better. Uther had also visited. He had refrained from coming during the night, because he knew his son needed to be with her. But at hearing the news of her recovery, even he was relieved and wanted to see her.

Arthur hadn't left her side, even when his father ordered him to. Until he knew that she was going to live, until she was awake, he was not going to leave her side.

It was late in the afternoon when Arthur had fallen asleep on the bed next to Lillian. He had ordered that no one else come to visit her unless he gave them permission to do so. Gaius and Merlin were the only other people allowed in the room, but they were keeping their distance now as they knew there was nothing much they could do.

He was woken up when he heard something being dropped. He did what came naturally to him. "Merlin!" He bellowed, opening his eyes and sitting up to glare at the servant. He noticed Merlin's eyes were wide and focused on something on the bed.

Arthur sharply turned his head and his eyes widened as well. He was grasping onto Lillian's hand, as he had been the whole time, but now something was different. She wasn't lying on her back anymore, she was on her side, facing him. "Lily? Lily, can you hear me? Come on, it's time to wake up now." He called to her, brushing her hair away from her face.

He could have sworn he heard her let out a groan and her grip on his hand tightened. "Hey, come on beautiful, open your eyes for me." He whispered to her gently, trying his best to encourage her.

"_Lillian, please wake up now. We've all been so worried bout you."_ Merlin called, finally able to sense her. He hadn't noticed it before, but her presence had slowly been returning. It was only now that he had seen she had moved that he realised he hadn't imagined it.

"Lillian, if you don't open your eyes, I'm going to invite your brother to Camelot, hold a feast and force you to wear your crown. And, you would have to go with me." He hoped that his threat would get through to her.

"You wouldn't dare, Pendragon." She mumbled weakly.

"You're alive!" Arthur cried, grabbing hold of her and squeezing her tightly.

Lillian finally opened her eyes. "Well of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be? Have I missed something?" She asked in confusion.

"I thought I had lost you, Lily. I thought you had left me forever." The prince whispered to her. "I am so sorry, for everything. I do care, Lily. You mean everything to me."

Lillian just frowned at him and pushed him away a little. "Okay, can someone please tell me what in Gods name is going on here? Because I haven't a clue."

"You don't remember?" Merlin asked her, coming over to the bed.

"Remember what?" The frown was still there on her face. "We were told off by Uther for going to Ealdor, I went to bed. The next thing I know, Arthur is trying to crush all the air out of my lungs."

Arthur just looked at her in shock. "You really don't remember?"

Lillian just shook her head at him. _"He can never know, Merlin. No one can know who it was."_ She warned him. Instantly Merlin felt the strength of their bond return. But not only that, it was much stronger than before.

"You were poisoned. We thought you were going to die. I was scared I had lost you." Arthur told her, his emotions almost getting the better of him.

"Arthur, you should know by now that it's not that easy to get rid of me." She told him, forcing a smile on her face.

* * *

**A/N: I know you all hate me for making you wait so long for this chapter, but life managed to get in the way again. **

**Still, I hope it was worth the wait and that you enjoyed this chapter. The reason behind this chapter will soon come up, maybe. **

**I'm leaving the poll open for a few more days, so if you haven't already, go check it out and vote. **

**And lastly, let me know what you thought of this chapter. I love all your reviews, they seriously make me smile. **

**Pippa.**


	17. The Labyrinth of Gedref Pt1

Things had started to return to normal in Camelot. Well, as normal as they could be. Lillian and Arthur were inseparable. She was with him on the training ground, out with him when he was on patrol and almost always in his chamber. He didn't like letting her out of his sight, from fear she might disappear.

She had explained to Merlin that she remembered everything that had happened, that she knew who it was who tried to kill her. Merlin tried to press her for answers as to why Nimueh would have wanted her dead, and how she knew her in the first place, but Lillian just told him that she couldn't tell him yet.

"Have fun on your hunting trip." Lillian said to Arthur, as he mounted his horse.

"Please, come with me." He had been trying since the night before to get her to go with him, but she just kept refusing.

"No thank you. I'm quite happy to stay here and keep company with Morgana." She told him, enjoying watching him pull many cute faces to try and convince her.

"Please?" He asked again, trying to look sad.

Lillian just laughed at him. "I have said no. I'm not going to stand around and watch you kill our dinner. Now, off you lads go. And be careful." She warned them, glancing at Merlin. He nodded at her, knowing what she was saying to him.

With a sigh, and knowing that he was beaten, Arthur leaned down and kissed Lillian on the top of her head. "I'll see you later. Stay out of trouble."

"I should be telling you the same thing. You're always getting into trouble, Arthur." She told him, before watching as the party rode out of the courtyard.

As Lillian turned around and started heading up the steps, she was met by Morgana. "What are the plans for today, Lillian?" Morgana asked her, a grin on her face.

"Hmm, let's see just how much trouble we can cause around the castle." Lillian replied, linking her arm through her friends.

Come noon, they were both sitting in Morgana's chamber, having had a rather good morning, even if they were caught by Uther causing a little trouble in the kitchens. "How are things going with Arthur?" Morgana asked her.

"Oh, same as always. After what happened, he doesn't like to let me out of his sight. It was sweet at first, but now it's just annoying." She complained, playing with the ends of her hair.

"We were all worried about you. We really didn't think you were going to make it at one point." Morgana hated thinking about it, every time she did, it just upset her.

"And yet here I am, causing more chaos than ever before. As I told our dear Arthur, it isn't that easy to get rid of me." The pair of them started laughing away. Morgana was happy to have her friend back, and Lillian was glad things were better with everyone. She didn't feel so alone any more.

"Now, what shall we…" Morgana stopped when Lillian let out a cry of pain and clutched hold of her chest. "Lillian? What's wrong?" She asked in a panic.

"_Merlin, what the hell has Arthur just done?"_ She screamed at the warlock.

"_He… he killed a unicorn."_ Merlin replied nervously. _"How did you know he had done something?"_

"_Never you mind. That man is dead when I get my hands on him."_ She growled.

"I'm going to get Gaius." Morgana announced, starting to get up from her chair.

"No." Lillian said, placing a hand on her friends arm. "It's okay. I'm fine. It was just pain from too much laughing. It's my own fault." She said, trying to reassure her.

"Are you sure?" Morgana said, concern flooding her eyes.

"Yes. Now come on, sit back down." Lillian's mood had seriously dropped. She knew the problems that Arthur had created, she knew that everyone was going to suffer because of his stupid hunt.

Once the hunting party had returned to Camelot, Lillian was straight on her way to Arthur's chamber and ready to tell him exactly what she thought of him.

"Ah, Lillian, there you are. Have you heard the news? I brought back the horn of a unicorn today." Arthur gloated as he found her approaching his chamber.

"Oh, I heard, Arthur. I'm not happy about it. You shouldn't have killed it." She told him, before turning away from him and heading to her own chamber instead. She wanted to talk to him, but she could feel her temper rising, and she knew she couldn't face him until she had calmed down.

Once she was in her chamber, she let out a sigh. _"Merlin, after Arthur killed the unicorn, did you see a man? Dressed in white?"_ She asked him, as she threw herself on her bed.

"_I… I thought I did. But when I looked again, he was gone. Do you know him?"_ Merlin asked her.

"_Arthur has no idea how much trouble he has caused, Merlin. He should never have killed the unicorn."_ The moment the arrow had pierced the creature, she knew, she felt it. That was the pain she felt in Morgana's chamber, that was why she was clutching her chest.

"_You know something more, don't you?" _He asked her, sensing that she was hiding something.

"_Yes. I wish I didn't, and I wish that I was completely wrong, but I know, Merlin. Terrible things are going to happen soon. I just know. Tell Arthur that I'm tired and will not be joining him for dinner tonight." _

She stayed in her room until Arthur came for her the next morning. "Are you still joining me for breakfast?" The prince asked her. Lillian just nodded at him and followed him to his chamber.

They ate mainly in silence. Arthur asked how her time had been with Morgana and what she had gotten up to, so she told him about their chaos. He found it amusing that while he was away, she still managed to get into trouble around the castle.

"My horse threw a shoe. Take it to the blacksmith. Make sure he does a good job. And when you've done that, you can polish my s…" Arthur trailed off and looked at Merlin, staring out of the window and paying no attention to his master. "Saddle. Merlin? Have you listened to a word I've said?"

The boy just nodded at him. _"Horse, blacksmith. Polish saddle."_ Lillian told him, knowing that he wasn't listening to him at all.

"You've got a face like a wounded bear ever since we got back from that hunting trip. Don't tell me you're still upset about the unicorn." Arthur asked. Lillian had made a point to not mention it, it would only upset her and want to smack the prince.

"I don't think you should have killed it." Merlin told him, as the prince went over to put his boots back on.

"Oh, really? And why is that?" Arthur asked him.

"It was… it was doing no harm. What purpose did you serve by killing it?" Merlin asked him, still unable to get over the fact that his master had killed a unicorn.

"We were hunting. That's what you do. Would you have me bring it home as a pet?" He asked, before studying something on the floor. "Look at this." He called, getting Merlin to walk over.

"What?"

"Do you know what that is?" Arthur asked, putting an arm around Merlin and forcing him down to look at the floor.

"No."

"Rat droppings. My chambers are infested. You need to spend less time worrying about unicorns and more time worrying about rats." Arthur told him, his anger flaring.

Lillian had stayed sitting in her chair the whole time. Arthur hadn't even registered that she had been quieter than normal. There was a knocking on the door, and a guard stepped into the room after the prince called for them to enter.

"My Lord, Lady Lillian, the King requests your services as a matter of urgency." The guard told them.

"Find that rat." Arthur ordered his servant before turning to Lillian. "Is everything okay, Lillian? Are you feeling well today?" He asked her, as he helped her to stand.

"I am fine, Arthur. Now come, your father is waiting for us." She slipped her arm through his and they followed the guard. They met up with the king at the sables, but he was not prepared to tell them what had happened.

They rode out to some of the fields, where they dismounted and surveyed what had happened. "Every single ear has died." Uther noted, picking up some of the wheat, which was now dead. "We've received reports that it's the same throughout the entire kingdom."

"I rode through this valley only yesterday. The crop looked healthy enough then." Arthur stated, looking around for himself.

"It happened overnight." Uther told the pair. "Farmers are at a lost to explain it."

"Is it a disease of some kind?" Lillian asked, understanding how devastating this find was.

"Perhaps. I've asked the court physician to conduct some tests. We must ration what little food we have left." The king said, before they made their way back to the castle.

"_Merlin, we are on our way back. I take it you have heard the news?"_ Lillian asked him as they rode back.

"_Yeah, what do you think happened?"_ He asked her, hoping she would be able to answer.

"_I will speak with you about it when we return."_

It didn't take them long to arrive back at the castle. The king went back to his council, and Arthur was expected to join him. "Lillian, are you coming as well?" He asked, hoping that she would.

"I am sure you can handle this without my assistance. This is your kingdom after all. I will send word to my brother, enquiring as to whether something similar has happened there." She told him with a smile on her face.

"You always seem to now the right things to do, Lily. I'll catch up with you later." He said to her, before rushing off.

Lillian swiftly made her way to the physician's chamber, where she knew Gaius and Merlin would be. "Well, it definitely looks bad." Lillian said, entering the room. "Food is being rationed already. Arthur is dealing with that now."

Merlin nodded at her before turning to Gaius. "Any ideas what caused the crops to die?" He asked the old man.

"I'm here to complete all the tests. No disease I have heard of could spread through an entire kingdom in a single night." He told the pair.

"What could kill all the plants other than a disease?" The warlock asked.

"It's not killing all the plants." Lillian told him, getting his attention. "The trees and hedges around the crop fields are unharmed. Unfortunately, you can't eat trees and hedges."

"It's only killing the plants we can eat?" Lillian nodded at him. "If it's not a disease, it must be magic."

Lillian didn't answer him, but Gaius did. "We can't assume that, Merlin. Perhaps there is something in the soil and water that can explain it. I can't tell the king it's caused by sorcery until I'm completely certain."

"Gaius, do you remember the legend that says bad fortune will come to anyone who slays a unicorn?" Lillian asked, watching the man at work.

"I do, have you heard of it as well?" He asked, trying not to get distracted by the fact that she knows things she probably shouldn't.

"Yes. And I know we are both thinking the same thing, Gaius. You know this is no disease. You know exactly what is happening."

He stopped his work and turned to her. "I am afraid the king would not listen to either one of us. We need evidence."

Lillian let out a sigh. "Wait until the next curse falls on us." She mumbled. "Merlin, if you are not busy, maybe you can help me with something."

"Sure, what do you need?" He asked her cheerfully.

"As much water as possible. I don't care how you store it, use the bath tubs, buckets, bowls, whatever you can. Just gather as much water as you can and store it in anything that will hold it."

Merlin looked at her suspiciously. "You know something more, don't you?" He asked as they left his chamber.

"Arthur should not have killed that unicorn. That legend isn't a legend, it's fact. Camelot is going to suffer for what he has done." She told him. "So just trust me, and store as much water as you can. I know it will be hard work, but it will be needed."

Lillian decided that she needed a little walk to clear her head. She knew things would get worse before they got better, if they got better.

"Lillian." Gwen called, as she passed her at the well in the lower town. "Is it true what they're saying about the crops? They're all dead?"

"I am afraid so. We may have to start tightening our belts." She replied.

"I'm sure Arthur will think of something." Gwen told her, trying to reassure her. She could see that Lillian was worrying about it.

"Well, if he doesn't, I certainly will." She told her, before smiling at her and walking away again.

Gwen started to pump water into her bucket, only water was not what came out. "Lillian!" Gwen cried, causing her to back track to Gwen.

Lillian looked at the bucket, and the sand that was filling it. "Oh no. It's already too late." She mumbled to herself.

She rushed back to the castle to find Arthur. She was lucky, she ran straight into him.

"Lillian, whatever is the matter?" Arthur asked her in concern.

"The water. Arthur, the water has turned to sand." She told him in a panic.

"What are you talking about?" He asked her. Lillian didn't answer him, she just grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him outside and to the main square.

"Watch." She told him, before starting to pump for water. As with what happened when Gwen tried to get water, nothing came out but sand. "Sand, not water."

"This isn't possible." He said in shock. "I must inform my father. We need to check the reservoir."

A little while later, Lillian and Arthur were back at the well with Uther and Gaius. "Sand?" Uther questioned as he sifted through it. "And you say the well is full of it?"

"I sent men to the underground reservoir. There is no trace of water to be found." Arthur informed him.

"First the crops and now this."

"_Merlin, please tell me you managed to store some water before this happened?"_ But she was more than confident that he had not had enough time to gather any water at all.

"_You knew this was going to happen. How do you know so much, Lillian?" _He asked her curiously.

"_I've already said, Merlin, now is not the time to find out."_

"It's the same throughout the kingdom. There's precious little water anywhere." Arthur told his father.

"Gaius. Can you offer any explanation for this?" The king asked the old man.

"I cannot think of a scientific explanation. I can only conclude it's the result of sorcery." The physician told him.

"I believe you're right. It is the work of magic. The kingdom is under attack." The king decreed. Lillian had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew things had just gotten worse, and now those with magic were about to be hunted when it wasn't them who caused the problems.

"_I know what you're thinking, Merlin. Even your magic isn't strong enough to counter this. I won't stop you from trying, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't work."_ She warned him as they made their way back into the castle.

"_Lillian, why can't you tell me what's going on?" _He asked her.

"_Because I can't, Merlin. It's very complicated. And I would get into a lot of trouble."_ She told him.

Once they were inside, they went their separate ways. Gaius returned to his chamber while Arthur stuck with Lillian.

"Is everything okay, Lillian? You've been rather quiet ever since I returned from the hunting trip." He asked her as they walked towards their chambers.

"I would be lying if I said everything was. Camelot's food and water has all but disappeared. People are going to start dying if we do not find a solution." She told him.

"I know you are worried, Lillian, we all are. You heard my father, he believes it to be the work of a sorcerer. We need to find that sorcerer and put an end to all this." Arthur told her.

"If only it was that simple." She mumbled to herself. "I think I shall pass on dinner tonight, Arthur. I am afraid I would not be good company after recent events."

He looked at her, his face full of concern. "Are you sure you are okay, Lillian? You would tell me if there was something else wouldn't you?"

She smiled at him. "Of course I would, Arthur. Honestly, I am just worried about your kingdom and its people. But I believe you will do whatever it takes to fix this."

Arthur kissed the top of Lillian's head, as he always seemed to be doing now. "Goodnight then, Lillian. I hope you feel better by morning."

"Goodnight, Arthur." She said, before heading into her chamber. She let out a sigh as she threw herself on her bed. _"Any luck?" _She called to Merlin.

"_No. I've been trying for hours. What are we going to do?"_ He asked her.

"_Merlin, I need to go and pay someone a visit, and I want you to come with me." _She told him, getting up from her bed and searching through her wardrobe for a simple dress.

"_Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, there is a curfew."_ He reminded her.

"_Oh, don't be such a girl, Merlin."_ Lillian said, laughing to herself.

"_It's bad enough when Arthur calls me that, do you have to start doing it as well?"_ He groaned at her.

"_Yes."_ She told him simply. _"We leave after curfew."_

They had agreed to meet out by the courtyard. Merlin was just about to walk out there when Lillian caught up with him. Unfortunately, they were both spotted by Arthur.

"Merlin, Lillian. You do realise there's a curfew?" He asked them, wondering why they were outside at the time.

"Yeah, I was in your chamber, hunting for the rat." Merlin told him, telling him the first thing that came into his head.

"Did you find it?" The prince asked him.

"No."

"So, you've been outwitted by a rat?" Arthur concluded.

"They do say rats are very intelligent." Merlin retorted.

"More intelligent than you, it would seem. Go home. It'd be embarrassing to have to lock up my own servant for breaking the curfew." He said, before turning to face Lillian. "And what are you doing out here? Were you outwitted by the rat as well?" He asked her.

"No. I was… I just…" She started playing with her hands, making it look as if she were worried or nervous about something.

"Lillian?" Arthur asked softly, sensing that something was wrong.

"I mean… I can't stop worrying. I… I came to find you. I didn't…" There was a smirk on Merlin's face as she acted innocent in front of the prince.

Arthur let out a sigh. "You should have just waited for me. I wouldn't want to have to arrest you as well." He told her, taking hold of her hand.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly." She mumbled, keeping her head down.

"It's okay. Come on, let's go back inside and…" Arthur noticed a man dressed in white slip into the castle. "What was that?" He asked, looking at the place where he had seen the man.

"What?" Merlin asked, looking around.

"Lillian, back inside, now. And do not leave your chamber." Arthur ordered her.

"No. I'm safer with you. You know that." She told him, chasing after him and Merlin as they ran to find the man he had seen.

"Lillian!" Arthur groaned. "Why can you never do as I say?"

She just smirked at him. "Because I'm not everyone else. I don't have to listen to you."

Arthur knew he wasn't going to win and tightly held onto her hand as they chased the figure down towards the burial vault where they managed to lose him.

Lillian pointed out a light disappearing around one of the corners. Arthur just nodded at her before turning to Merlin, pointing for him to go the opposite way to him and Lillian. Unfortunately, Merlin didn't understand his message and began to follow them.

"That means you go the other way and cut him off." Arthur hissed at him.

"Okay." He said, before charging off.

Arthur kept hold of Lillian as they ran through the corridors and ended up meeting Merlin. That was when Arthur noticed the man's shadow, and they went in different directions again.

"Where is he?" Arthur asked as they ended up right where they started.

"I didn't see anyone." Merlin told him, catching his breath.

"He was right here! Don't tell me you let him get past you." Arthur was starting to getting frustrated now.

"Arthur no one passed me."

"Are you blind?" He yelled at his servant.

Neither of them had noticed Lillian was stood there staring at something. "Are you looking for me?" The man in the white cloak asked. "I am Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns." He told the trio.

"Camelot is under curfew. What's your business here?" Arthur asked, pulling Lillian behind him in an attempt to protect her.

"I have come to deliver a message." The man told him.

"And who is this message for?" He asked, keeping a tight grip on Lillian's hand.

"It is for you, Arthur Pendragon."

"Is it you who's responsible for killing our crops, turning our water into sand?" Arthur asked Anhora.

"You alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen Camelot." Anhora told him calmly.

"Me?!" Arthur cried furiously. "You think I'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?" He asked in horror.

"When you killed the unicorn, you unleashed a curse. For this, Camelot will suffer greatly."

"If you have put a curse on Camelot, you will lift it, or you will pay with your life." Arthur threatened.

"The curse was not my doing." Anhora informed him.

"Undo the curse or face execution." Arthur bellowed at the man, dropping Lillian's hand.

"Only you can do that. You will be tested."

Arthur decided he had had enough. "You're under arrest." He said, reaching for the man, only for him to disappear and Arthur to stumble.

Anhora reappeared on the stairs, directly behind where Lillian was standing. Arthur wasted no time in grabbing her and pulling her away from him. "Until you have proven yourself, and made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted. If you fail any of these tests, Camelot will be damned for all eternity." Anhora said, before disappearing.

"_And now it beings." _Lillian said, looking over at Merlin's worried expression.

Merlin let out a sigh. _"You knew this was going to happen didn't you? You knew all about it. You know exactly who Anhora is."_

"_Yes. And he is telling the truth. All legends begin somewhere. If Camelot is to be saved, Arthur must pass these tests. He cannot fail, and we cannot interfere. If we did, then he would automatically fail and Camelot would never recover." _She told him honestly.

"I'm taking you back to your chamber, Lillian." Arthur said, bring her and the warlock back to reality. "I want you to lock your door and do not open it for anyone." He ordered her, as they made their way back through the castle.

"Even for you?" She asked, a small smile on her face.

"Lillian, you know what I mean." Lillian should have known that now was not the best of times to make jokes with the prince.

"Sorry, Arthur. Of course." She replied, looking down at her feet.

The prince let out a sigh. Lillian had gone to find him for a reason, and he still hadn't really found out what that reason was. He could just sense the worry radiating from her. "You will stay with me tonight, Lillian. While there is a sorcerer on the loose, I do not want you to be left alone."

"I'll be fine, Arthur. I shall lock my door and only open it to either you or Merlin." She told him as they approached the corridor their rooms were down.

"No, Lillian, you seem to forget how well I know you, and I know all of this is troubling you." He told her, making her walk past her chamber and towards his. "No arguments, Lily. Merlin, go home."

The warlock nodded at him and bid the pair goodnight before disappearing. Lillian grabbed her nightdress that had been stored in one of Arthur's wardrobes, in case of such times, which seemed to be quiet often. She took it behind the screen and changed while Arthur began to get himself ready for bed.

"Lily, I know you are worried, but this will be sorted." He assured her as she reappeared, ready for bed.

"You don't believe Anhora, do you?" She asked him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I have no reason to believe him. It is clear he is a sorcerer, he knows of the misfortune that has befallen us. I believe that he is a part of all this." Arthur told her, pulling back the covers on the bed.

"Legends have to start somewhere, Arthur. Remember that." She told him, shifting herself on the bed so that she was under the covers.

"We are not discussing this, Lillian. I know you are only trying to help, but can you honestly say I am to blame for all this?" She couldn't answer him, because she didn't want the truth to hurt him.

"Goodnight, Arthur." She whispered, curling up in the bed.

"Goodnight, Lillian." The prince replied, taking a hold of her hand as he so often did when they were asleep. It was strange, the way that they could both just fall asleep together, be so at ease with each other. Nothing ever happened between them, they would hold each other's hand all night, and that would be it.

* * *

**A/N: A few of you have asked when Arthur and Lillian are actually going to get together, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait until the end of series 1 to find that out. **

**There are a few more surprises on the way, well more than a few really. **

**As always, a big thank you to all who have taken the time to review. Reviews to mean a lot to me, it helps me to improve my writing. Also a thank you to those who have favourited/followed as well. **

**Oh, and I have posted the 21st century girl in Camelot. It's called 'Time in Camelot' and you guys can find it on my profile. **

**Pippa.**


	18. The Labyrinth of Gedref Pt2

Lillian awoke to find Arthur complaining to Merlin. "That… rat! It's eaten through my boot. Look at it!" Arthur moaned, rather loudly.

"I guess the rat must be as hungry as the rest of us." Merlin joked.

"You think this is funny?" It was clear from his tone that he was not in a good mood.

"Moderately." Merlin replied, earning the boot in question being thrown at him.

"Get it mended. Find that rat." Arthur ordered his manservant.

"Can you two maybe fight over the rat a little quieter? Some of us are still trying to sleep here." Lillian moaned as she rolled over in the bed.

Both of the men hung their heads a little. They hadn't meant to disturb the princess. "Sorry, Lillian. But it is long past time for you to get up." Arthur told her, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

"I am a princess. I can sleep as long as I want to." She told him firmly.

Arthur just smirked at her. "No you can't. This is my bed. Get up." He pulled the pillow out from under her head, causing her eyes to shoot open and glare at him.

"You're going to pay for that, Pendragon." She growled at him, before grabbing another pillow and whacking him around the head with it. It took him so much by surprise that he actually fell off the bed, causing both Merlin and Lillian to break out in laugher.

"And you, are going to pay for that, my little Lily." He said, pushing himself off the floor.

Lillian's eyes widened and she quickly jumped out of the bed. But Arthur was quick and was already climbing over the bed by the time her feet touched the ground. Before she could register anything else, she felt a strong pair of arms around her waist.

"No! Let me go, Pendragon!" She cried, trying to get away from him.

"Definitely not. You hit me with my pillow and knocked me off my own bed. I should have to put in the stocks for that." He told her, making sure to not let her go.

"But, since it's me, you're going to warn me not to do it again and let me go?" She asked hopefully.

"Absolutely…" He lessened his grip on her. "Not." Lillian let out a girly squeal as he picked her off the floor and swung her around. "Apologise." Arthur ordered, in a playful tone.

"To you? I think not." Lillian managed to say between her giggles.

Arthur swung her around some more. "I order you to apologise." He said, a huge grin on his face.

"Never. Never, ever." She said, hitting at his arms, trying to get him to put her down.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Tell me how sorry you are." He lifted her higher off the floor as he said it.

"Arthur, put me down, I think I'm going to be sick." Lillian told him seriously. He quickly done as he was told and she turned to face him, a grin on her own face. "Ha! I win!" She shouted, before ducking behind the screen to get changed.

"You little cheat!" He cried, going to grab her again.

"Arthur, don't even think of trying to grab me, I'm getting dressed." She growled at him. He immediately backed away and went to get his sword.

"Have you thought any more about what Anhora said last night?" Merlin asked, trying to get over what he had just seen. He had never seen Arthur be so… playful, before. It was nice, to see him so happy and relaxed.

"Ah, well, he may have escaped last night, but at least we now know who we're looking for. I told my father I'll find this Anhora and put an end to it." Arthur said, fetching a pair of boots that didn't have holes in them.

"What if he was telling the truth about the curse?" The warlock asked as he gathered the prince's dirty cloths and boots to repair.

"You think I'm responsible for bringing suffering upon my own people?" He asked, putting his boots on.

"No, not deliberately. When you killed the unicorn, I saw Anhora in the forest." Merlin told him.

Arthur looked at him with annoyance. "Why didn't you say anything?" He asked him.

"It was just for a second, and then he disappeared. I didn't even… well_,_ I… I thought I was seeing things. But he was definitely there." The warlock told him, just as Lillian appeared, fully dressed and almost ready to start her day.

"That doesn't actually prove anything." Arthur told him, getting up from where he was sitting and picking up a hairbrush out of a draw.

"Doesn't it make you think he might be telling the truth?" Merlin asked, watching the prince with a strange expression.

"Because he was skulking about in the forest? That makes me trust him even less." He said, passing the brush to Lillian.

She sat down on the bed and began to brush through her hair. "Why would Anhora appear in Camelot, and then lie to you?" She asked, finally deciding to join the conversation.

"We had him cornered. He was trying to talk his way out of it by blaming me." Arthur told the pair.

"Arthur, he can disappear into thin air. He didn't have to talk his way out of anything." Merlin protested. He knew he wasn't getting anywhere with the prince, he could only hope that Lillian would do better than he was.

"My father warned me about sorcerers like him. They will not rest until our kingdom is destroyed."

"Well, I believe he is telling the truth." Merlin told him quickly.

"Then you're a fool. You cannot trust a single word a sorcerer says. You'd do well to remember that." Arthur said.

"_Ignore him, Merlin. We both know better, and one day, so will he."_ Lillian told him, getting up from where she was sitting and putting the brush back when Arthur had got it from.

"Now, I think I've figured out what Anhora's next move is going to be, and when he makes it, we're going to be waiting." Arthur told him.

"Attack the grain store?" Lillian asked, tying the end of the ribbon in her hair. Arthur just stared at her, as did Merlin. "What? I've told you before, I'm not just a pretty face." She said, flashing them both a smile.

"You, are not getting involved." Arthur said, pointing a finger at her.

"Too late, I already am and there is no way you can stop me." She gloated.

"I can lock you in your chamber. That will stop you." He told her, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yes, and then you would have to deal with one very angry princess when you let me out. Come on, Arthur, let me help." She pleaded with him, giving him the big, puppy dog eyes.

He let out a groan of frustration before running a hand through his hair. "Okay, fine. But you do not leave my side, is that clear?"

"Perfectly." She said, a happy smile on her face. "I'll see you lads later then." Lillian said, walking out of the room, but not before picking up and apple and crunching into it.

Once she was gone Merlin looked at Arthur with a smirk on his face. "Arthur, why do you have a hairbrush?" He asked, trying not to laugh.

The prince paid no attention to the look on his manservants face. "It's Lillian's." He told him, grabbing his coat off the chair.

"Anyone would think she has moved in here. I mean, her clothes are here, her brush is here, she spends more time here than she does in her own chamber." Merlin pointed out.

Arthur just glared at him. "What are you suggesting, Merlin?"

"Nothing. I'm just wondering what other people would say if they knew about all of this. Especially your father." Merlin knew he was pushing it with the prince, but he was having too much fun to care.

"My father knows how much respect I have for Princess Lillian. He knows I would do nothing to harm her nor to dishonour her." Arthur growled at him. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, sire." He replied, not letting his grin falter. "And you were right, she did cheat." He said, referring to how she got him to let her go.

Arthur just rolled his eyes at him and made his way out of the room with his sword in his hand and coat on.

It was night by the time Arthur and Lillian walked to the grain store. Merlin had been left there for a few hours on his own, and the both arrived to find him not only asleep, but smacking his lips.

Arthur dropped Lillian's hand a picked up a broom that was by the door and swiftly hit the warlock with it. "Don't you worry about keeping watch, Merlin. You just make yourself comfortable." He hissed at him. The boy just sighed and smacked his lips some more. "Stop smacking your lips. It's annoying."

"I'm thirsty." He complained, as Arthur took hold of Lillian's hand again.

"We're all thirsty, Merlin." The prince told him, looking at Lillian to make sure she was okay. She just smiled at him. They walked over to the door and Arthur looked down the corridor. "Psst! Someone's coming." He quietly called to Merlin, beckoning him over.

The warlock joined them over by the door and watched the light and shadow at the other end of the corridor moving. As they walked forward, Arthur drew his sword. He had already told Lillian to run of anything happened and he couldn't protect her.

Once they reached the grain store, they noticed the shadow of a figure moving around in the room. "You go over there and come in." He told Merlin, before pulling Lillian behind him. "And you, wait here."

She folded her arms across her chest and let out a huff of annoyance. Sure, he had let her come with him, but he wasn't going to put her in any danger.

"Show yourself. Before I run you through." Arthur said, clearly and strongly as he walked in and held his sword out in front of him.

A man holding a shovel and a bag of grain slowly came around and into view. "Who are you?" Arthur asked him, lowering his sword slightly.

"My name is… my name is…" The man stuttered.

"Speak up!" Arthur ordered. Lillian slowly crept into the room and moved a little closer to Arthur. The man before them was not dangerous.

"My name is Evan, My Lord." He said as Merlin went and stood beside Arthur.

"I see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves. My father has ordered that looters be executed." Arthur told the man.

"Please My Lord. I… I do not steal for myself. I have three children, they have not eaten for two days. They are hungry." Evan managed to tell them as Arthur stepped closer to him.

"It's the same for everyone."

"I… I know that it is wrong to steal. I couldn't bear to see them starve." The man pleaded.

"And could you bear for your children to see you be executed?" Arthur asked, watching as the man shook his head and looked as if he was about to burst into tears. "Then you should go home. If you're caught stealing again, I will not spare you." Arthur told him, standing to one side so the man could pass him.

"Yes, My Lord. Thank you." Evan said, a smile on his face as he put down the bag he was holding and the shovel he held as a weapon.

"Wait." Arthur called, as the man went to leave. He picked up a bag of the grain and threw it to the man. "Use it sparingly. It might be the last food you and your family get for some time."

"You have shown yourself to be merciful and kind, My Lord. This will bring its own reward." The man said, before taking his leave with the bag he had been given.

Lillian stepped up to Arthur and slipped her hand into his. "That was very good of you, Arthur. I'm actually proud of you." She said, pretending to be shock by her own words.

"You're always proud of me. Even if you don't like to admit it." He said, smiling away at her. "I feel Anhora will not show here now. Not tonight at least." Arthur stated.

"_Oh, how little Arthur knows."_ She whispered through to Merlin's mind.

"_That was a test, wasn't it?" _He asked her, knowing that she knew something.

Lillian just turned to him and grinned. He knew in an instant that he was right. "Right, so where am I sleeping tonight?" Lillian asked, dragging Arthur out of the storeroom.

"I think it is safe for you to stay in your own chamber tonight." Arthur told her.

"Of course, sire. You do have a reputation with the ladies to uphold. Your servant finding me in your bed every morning would not leave you with a good standing with other women." She said mockingly. "I wouldn't want to damage your reputation, My Lord."

Merlin was behind, trying to hold in his laughter. "I haven't forgotten how you cheated this morning, Princess Lillian. And I do not have a reputation with women." Arthur told her sternly.

"Really? That's not what I hear." She told him, fighting off her own laughter.

"Well, let's see what this does to my supposed reputation." He told her, before grabbing hold of her and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Oh, how nice of you to carry me. My legs were getting a little tired." She said, winking at Merlin. "So, how are you Merlin? We haven't really had much time to talk recently have we? Have you heard from your mother? Is all well in Ealdor now?" She asked, a big smirk on her face.

"Will you be quiet?" Arthur demanded as he carried on carrying her.

"Arthur! Why are you carrying Lillian like that?" Morgana called as they rounded the corner.

"He is trying to damage his reputation with the ladies even further." Lillian called over his shoulder.

Morgana burst out laughing. "Well, he is certainly doing that, isn't he? Most of the ladies already believe he is taken with a certain princess that resides on the castle." She said smugly.

"What?!" Both Arthur and Lillian shouted at the same time.

"Please, Morgana. There are no princesses in this castle." Arthur replied, hoping it would annoy Lillian.

"Unfortunately, I have to agree with the prince. I do not know where these people get their information from, but it is entirely incorrect. Now, if you will excuse us, I believe Arthur is taking me back to my chamber. Goodnight." Lillian called, before kneeing Arthur in the guts to get him to move.

"You are impossible, Lily." Arthur groaned at her, a little winded from her attack.

"Your point being?" She asked him casually.

He was about to reply when he noticed his father enter the other end of the corridor. There was an amused look on the king's face. "Lillian, what did you do this time?" He asked her as she twisted her head to see him over the prince's shoulder.

"Arthur believes I was causing trouble. I insist I was just taking a walk. He decided it would be best for the whole of Camelot if he escorted me back to my chamber." She told him.

"I fear what trouble you may have caused if he had not taken the initiative to escort you back safely." Uther said, beaming away. He was glad to see his son so happy, and that was because Lillian was there. Everyone knew how close they were, and seeing them together now just showed it.

"If you will excuse us, father. I seem to have the weight of the world on my shoulders." He said, quickly grabbing Lillian's legs and holding them together so she couldn't hurt him again.

They managed to make it to her chamber without bumping into anyone else. Merlin had burst out laughing once they were far enough away from Uther and Lillian started to wriggle, just to annoy the man carrying her.

He didn't put her down once they reached her chamber, oh no, he had Merlin open the door for him. He walked in with her still thrown over his shoulder and marched over to her bed before throwing her down on it.

"Ow!" She cried, hitting her head on the headboard as she bounced. Instantly the tears started to well up in her eyes from the pain. "That hurt, Arthur!" She shouted at him, rubbing the back of her head.

"Now you're in trouble." Merlin whispered to him, before backing away a little.

"Lily, I'm sorry. Are you okay?" He asked her, rushing over and sitting on the bed beside her.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" She snapped at him.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." He told her gently, watch as she held back the tears. He knew it must have hurt, not just because of the tears, but because he had heard the impact. "Let me see." He said, turning her around a little and pulling her hand away so he could see her head.

As he touched where it had made contact with the bed, she hissed and flinched a little. The prince let out a sigh before kissing the back of her head. "I really am sorry, Lily."

"Fine." She mumbled. "Now go away. I want to sleep." She said, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at them.

"Okay, goodnight Lillian." Arthur said, getting up from the bed and walking over to Merlin. "Join me for breakfast?"

"Maybe. If I remember." She grumbled, still not happy with him.

Both the men left her room and went to the prince's chamber. "She's going to have a headache in the morning, and possibly a bump. Let Gaius know what happened, Merlin." He said to his servant as he started to get himself ready for bed.

"Yes, sire."

"And Merlin, check on her first thing. Just to make sure she is okay." The warlock nodded at him, hearing the concern in his voice. He knew that he never meant for Lillian to get hurt, it was just unlucky that she hit her head.

The next morning, Merlin did as he was asked and checked on Lillian before even bothering to wake up the prince. "How's your head this morning?" He asked her as she sat and brushed her hair.

"It's fine. A small bump, but that's all." She told him.

"Are you joining Arthur for breakfast?"

Lillian just looked at him. "Is he even up yet?" She asked curiously. Merlin just shrugged his shoulders at her, before there was a loud knocking at the door.

Lillian quickly threw herself on her bed and pretended to be asleep again. _"Yes, he is awake." _She called to her warlock friend.

"How's Lillian?" Arthur asked as Merlin answered the door. He pointed to the woman, curled up on her bed. "Lillian how is your head this morning?" He asked her as he sat on the bed beside her.

"How do you think it is?" She mumbled into her pillow.

The prince let out a sigh. "I really am sorry, Lily." He told her, meaning it completely. He had hardly slept because he had been worrying about her.

Lillian turned her head and faced him. "I know. Have you managed to find anything for breakfast?" She asked him, hoping that their food problems would be over soon.

"Not really no. Are you hungry?" She shook her head at him. She knew that she wouldn't die from thirst or starvation, everyone else would. "I need to go and check in with the guards and find out if anything has happened. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, gently stroking her hair.

"I'm fine, Arthur. Go and look after your kingdom." She told him, watching him as he left. "Go and look after him, Merlin." He nodded at her and swiftly left the room as well.

It was much later on during the day when Merlin came rushing into her chambers. "The water is back." He cried.

Lillian smiled at him. "Well, that's good news. Where's Arthur?"

"Next door, come on." He grabbed her by the hand and led her into Arthur's chamber.

"I hear the water has returned." She said, watching Arthur down a tankard of water.

"I never knew water could taste so good." He commented as Merlin drank some as well.

"My throat was so dry, I thought I wouldn't be able to talk." The warlock said after drinking his.

"Well, at least some good would've come from this drought, then." Arthur commented, smirking at Lillian. "How are you feeling, Lily?"

"I told you earlier, I am fine." She said, sitting herself down at the table with him.

"More?" Merlin asked the prince. "Lillian?" She nodded at him and he refilled Arthur's tankard and a goblet for Lillian.

"The sand's disappeared. The water returned to the well. It doesn't make any sense." Arthur commented, looking at Lillian. She just looked at Merlin, both of them knew why it had returned. Arthur seemed to catch on. "I suppose you have some explanation for this, Merlin. Let's hear it."

"Anhora said you would be tested. And lest night, in the grain store, you let that villager go. And he said it would bring its own reward." Merlin told him.

"He was merely grateful, and so he should have been."

"Maybe that was your first test." Lillian said, getting Arthur's attention. "You passed it, so the curse has begun to lift. Perhaps this is your reward."

"Don't tell me you believe all this as well." The prince grumbled.

"If you're tested again, you have a chance to end your people's suffering. We know you want that more than anything." She said, ignoring his comment. "Maybe we should seek Anhora out." She suggested.

"I cannot negotiate with sorcerers. My father wouldn't hear of it." Arthur warned her.

"Then it's probably best you don't tell him." Merlin said. He had been thinking the same thing, find Anhora and end the curse.

"I must go check on the guard. See if you can find us some food." Arthur said, getting up from his seat. "Lillian, try not to cause too much trouble." He told her before leaving the room.

Lillian just sat there, and looked at Merlin. "The rats in his boot. That count's a food, right? It's meat after all."

A grin reached across the warlocks face as he spotted the rat. "Swelt deor." Merlin said, his eyes flashing gold as the rat squeaked its last and died.

"And that would be Arthur's dinner." Lillian told him, smirking away.

She stayed in Arthur's room till he returned later that evening. She sat down at the table with him as Merlin served the prince some stew.

"Lost my appetite." He said, waving the bowl away.

"You have to eat something." Lillian insisted.

"I can't. Not while my people are starving." She knew he was being serious. "Do you both really believe I'm responsible for the curse?" He asked, looking at Lillian more than Merlin.

She didn't want to answer him, and was gad when Merlin did. "I'm afraid so."

"We're going to the forest, first thing in the morning. Maybe we can pick up Anhora's trail. Whatever it takes." Arthur decided. "No, Lillian, you are not coming."

She didn't even try to argue with him. "Okay, but you have to eat." She said, taking him by surprise. He thought he was going to have to argue with her before she would agree to stay behind. "You won't be able to help anyone if you're too weak to pass the test."

Arthur saw the sense in her words and began to eat the stew. "What kind of meat is this? It has a very strange texture." He asked.

"It's pork." Merlin told him, turning away to cover up the smirk on his face.

"This isn't pork. It's far too stringy. What is it? It's, err…" He put his spoon down when he realised exactly what he was eating. "It's rat, isn't it?"

Merlin nodded at him while Lillian had to look away to hide her laughter. "Try not to think about it."

"Look at me. I'm being rude. Here I am, stuffing my face with this delicious stew when you're both hungry too. Come on. Take a seat." Arthur stood up and forced Merlin into his chair. "Eat." Lillian watched as Merlin took a bite of the rat meat in the stew. "Mmm."

"It's actually pretty tasty." Merlin said, trying to cover up his disgusted look.

"Mm. Well, I'm glad you like it. Because…" He went over and picked up the pot with the rest of the stew in it. "There's plenty more."

He looked at Lillian and was about to say something when there was a knocking on the door. "Enter." The prince called. "Morgana?" The lady was standing at the door, looking a little off colour.

"I hate to ask, but I was wondering if you had anything to eat." She asked him. The trio just looked at each other and knew who could eat the rat.

Lillian was patiently waiting in her chamber. Merlin and Arthur had left to seek out Anhora, and as agreed, she stayed behind. But after a while, she felt that something was wrong, and her fears were confirmed when Merlin told her that he had failed the test.

By the time they returned to Camelot, the rest of the grain had rotted. There was no more food, the people were going to starve unless something was done about it.

"Arthur, is everything okay?" She asked as he came into her chambers and threw himself on her bed.

"My father is to stop distributing food to the people. He refuses to ask other kingdoms for help. The people are starving, I cannot just let them die." He told her, staring at the canopy above her bed.

"And you won't." She told him softly, moving herself over to the bed and sitting next to where he was lying. "I know you will not give up. You will think of something to save your people."

"But what can I do? I failed the test, Camelot is suffering for what I have done." He told her, rolling onto his side to look at her.

"I know you, Arthur. I have faith in you. You will think of something." She assured him.

He couldn't help but smile at her. "You always have so much faith in me, Lily."

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**A/N: First of all, I want to say thank yevery everyone who has review. You guys really do make my day. I'm so glad so many of you are enjoying this story. **

**I couldn't resist putting all the playful moments. Expect some more later on, so let me know what you thought if it all. **

**We are now one step closer to finding out the truth about Lillian. Anyone excited yet? There is a little hint coming in the last part of this episode, so keep your eyes peeled. **

**As always, thank you tthat'll who have favourited/followed. I love you guys, and I love your reviews, so keep them coming. **

**Pippa.**


	19. The Labyrinth of Gedref Pt3

**A/N: I'm so sorry for such a late update. I started in a new school this week for my placement, so I've been rather busy. Please forgive me!**

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"_Merlin?"_ Lillian called, to her friend. Arthur was more worried now than ever, and she couldn't bear to see him suffer any longer. It wasn't just him it was the whole of Camelot, but it was hurting her more to see Arthur so broken.

"_What's wrong?"_ He asked her.

"_We're going on a little trip, to the forest. We're going to seek out Anhora and sort this out, once and for all."_ She told him firmly.

It didn't take long for them to get to the forest and start hunting down the man they needed to speak with.

"Anhora! Show yourself!" Merlin shouted. "Anhora!"

Lillian just shook her head. _"Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns, I request your presence immediately."_ She called.

Suddenly the man in the while cloak appeared before them. "You wanted to talk with me?" He asked, looking at Lillian.

Before she had a chance to say anything, Merlin was talking. "We've come to seek your help. The people are starving. They will soon be dead." He told the man.

Anhora's gaze moved from Lillian and to Merlin. "You must believe me when I say it gives me no pleasure to see your people suffering."

"If it pains you, put an end to it." Merlin pleaded.

"It is not my power to lift the curse."

"Give Arthur another chance." Lillian said, causing them both to look at her. "He has accepted it is his responsibility and his alone. He will prove himself worthy and lift the curse if you were to give him one more chance."

Anhora looked at her, studying her carefully. "You have faith in Arthur?"

"Yes. I always have and I always will. I trust him with my life." She told the man.

"And so do I." Merlin added. It was true, the both trusted the prince with their lives, but only Lillian knew the full extend of what was being said.

"Arthur must go to the Labyrinth of Gedref. There, he will face a final test. If he fails, there is no hope. The curse will destroy Camelot." Anhora told them, before disappearing.

"Wait! What kind of test will he face?" Merlin called.

"_That is for Arthur alone to discover."_ Anhora's voice rang out in both their minds.

Lillian let out a sigh. _"Will my presence be required?"_ She called back to Anhora.

"_It will, Princess Lillian. You know the task he must face, you cannot tell him or he shall instantly fail."_

"_I understand, Anhora. And I thank you for giving him this chance to prove himself."_

"_You are wise, Princess, I do not doubt you. If you have faith and believe in him, then I am sure he will pass the final test."_ He told her.

"Lillian? Is everything okay?" Merlin asked her, noticing she had zoned out a little.

"What? Yes, fine. Come on, we need to go and tell Arthur." She said, grabbing Merlin's arm and marching him back to Camelot with her.

"How did you know where to find Anhora?" Merlin asked her as they walked back.

She shrugged at him. "I didn't. It was pure luck that we found him. Although, I think your bellowing for him counted for something."

"No, there's something more about you. I know your magic is strong, and you seem to just know so much. And then there was what happened with Nimueh…"

Lillian stopped in her tracks. "Merlin, now is not the time to talk about any of this. I can't explain it, any of it. Because I don't know, okay?"

Merlin just nodded at her and they carried on walking in silence. Lillian knew she couldn't tell Merlin anything about her, she knew but she couldn't tell. She hated not being able to tell him the truth, but she had been told there would be a time and a place for the truth to be revealed. And something was telling her that time was fast approaching.

After informing Arthur of his chance, he quickly started to pack and prepare for his journey. Lillian watched him as he put on his chainmail and armour with Merlin's help.

"Let me come with you. You don't know what form the test will take. I might be able to help." Merlin pleaded. Lillian had already told him that he needed to go alone, but she knew he wasn't going to listen to her.

"You're not coming. I brought this curse upon Camelot. I'm going to be the one to lift it, or die trying." Arthur said, putting the last of his armour on.

"Alright, how does you dying help anyone?" Merlin asked, getting very annoyed and frustrated with the prince.

"I'll die knowing I did everything I can."

"I'm coming with you." Merlin told him firmly. He wasn't going to back down.

"Merlin, you are to stay here, and help the people as best you can. Is that understood?" The warlock didn't answer him. "Lillian?"

"It's okay. I know you need to do this alone. I'm not going to try to convince you to let me go with you. I am needed here. Just… try to come back in once piece?" She said, as she sat there playing with her hands in her lap.

Arthur knelt down in front of her and took both of her hands in his own. "I promise, I will do everything I can to lift to curse and come home safely." He told her softly. He could see that she was worried, and upset that he wouldn't return.

"Make sure you do." She whispered to him.

He kissed the top of her head before leaving the room. "You're going after him, aren't you, Merlin?" Lillian asked him quietly.

"I have to. We don't know what he is going to face, we can't let him die." He told her, knowing it had to be done.

"I know. I'm not going to stop you, don't worry. Just don't let him see you. Stealth, Merlin." She told him, getting up from where she had been sitting and hugging him tightly. "Work on your stealth."

He chuckled a little at her words. "Yeah, you keep telling me. I'll bring him back, alive." He promised her, before leaving the room.

Lillian let out a sigh as she watched him go. _"They are both on their way. When do you wish for me to join?"_ She called to Anhora.

"_You should not be travelling here alone. Why did you not leave with Emrys?"_ He asked her.

"_He never would have let me go. I shall join you in a few hours. But do not expect me to arrive on foot"_ She warned him.

"_Travel by the safest means available, Princess."_

And so Lillian sat there, waiting for the sun to rise higher in the sky. _"Merlin? How is it going?"_

"_Arthur has just entered the labyrinth. I'm going in now. I promise to bring him home."_ He said, trying to assure her.

Lillian knew that if they were there, then it was now time for her to leave as well. She closed her eyes tightly. "Geanoirr mec æt sé Labyrinth sylfum Gedref." She whispered.

When she dared to breathe again, she could smell the salty air and feel the wind blowing across her face. She also noticed that she seemed to be lying on the floor.

"When you told me not to expect you to arrive on foot, I did not think you meant quite so literally." Anhora said, holding a hand out and helping her up.

"It is not my favourite way to travel. I still have not mastered it, as you can see." She told him, brushing herself down.

"You know the task, Princess, you know what must be done." He warned her.

Lillian nodded at him. "I do. I shall not interfere. In fact, I think I shall not speak at all. I know too much of this situation."

"I believe it is time to collect Emrys. Please, take your seat." Anhora said, motioning to the table with three seats and three goblets.

Lillian sat down in the middle, where she knew her place to sit was, as Anhora went to fetch Merlin. A few minutes later, he reappeared with the warlock.

His eyes grew wide when he noticed her sitting there. "Lillian! What are you doing here?" He asked her as he sat down.

"Same thing as you, Merlin." She told him, not looking up.

"But how did you get here before me?"

She let out sigh, she couldn't really talk her way out of this one. She would have to tell him the truth. "Anhora isn't the only one who can travel using magic." She told him. His eyes just widened more at the piece of information. He kept learning new things about her, and find out show was more powerful than he could imagine.

"So, now what do we do?" He asked her, noticing that there was still an empty space.

"We wait for Arthur. He is going to be so angry when he sees both of us here." She warned him.

It was not long later when Arthur finally emerged from the labyrinth. "Lillian? Merlin?" He asked in shock.

"I'm sorry." Merlin said, while Lillian just kept her head down.

"Let them go. I'll take your test, but not till they are released." Arthur demanded, standing by the empty seat.

"That is not possible. The Princess and Merlin are part of the test. Please sit." Arthur looked at the seat, but carried on standing. "If you refuse the test, you will have failed and Camelot will be destroyed." Anhora told him.

At hearing that, Arthur lay his sword down on the table and sat down. "I thought I told you to stay at home?" He said, glaring at Merlin than Lillian. She kept her head down. Technically, he had not told her anything, she had not even asked to go, so he had not told her to stay home. "Let's get on with it." Arthur ordered, taking hold of Lillian's hand as he sat by her.

"There are three goblets before you. One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the others, a harmless liquid." Anhora told them. "All the liquid from the goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet."

"What kind of ridiculous test is that? What does that prove?" Arthur asked.

"What it proves is for you to decide. If you pass the test, the curse will be lifted." Anhora told him.

"Let's think about this. What if I drink from my goblet first?" Merlin asked, trying to think it through rationally.

"If it's poisoned, you'll die." Arthur reminded him.

"And if it's not, then you'll have to drink from yours, and you could die. And the same goes for Lillian." Merlin said, noticing how quiet she was being. "There must be a way around it."

"It's perfectly simple." Arthur stated. "One of us has to die." He felt Lillian tense up and squeezed her hand in reassurance. "We have to determine which goblet has the poison. And then I'll drink it."

"I will be the one to drink it." Merlin protested.

Arthur shook his head, and noticed a tear slip down Lillian's face. "This is my doing. I'm drinking it." He said.

"It is more important that you live. You're the future king. Lillian is a princess. I'm just a servant." Merlin told him.

"_You're more than just a servant, Merlin. We both know that."_ She called to him.

"This is no time to be a hero, Merlin. It really doesn't suit you." Arthur told him, his concern for Lillian growing by the second.

The warlock let out a sigh. "What if I drink form mine first, and if that's not poisoned, I will then drink yours?"

"He said each of us is only allowed to drink from a single goblet." Arthur said, watching Lillian's tears fall out of the corner of his eye. "I had no idea you were so keen to die for me."

"Trust me, I can hardly believe it myself."

Arthur couldn't help but let out a snort at his servants comment. "I'm glad you're here, Merlin. And you, Lillian." He squeezed her hand again, only to see more tears fall.

"I've got it!" Merlin said. "Right, we pour all the liquid into one goblet and then we can be sure it is poisoned. Then all the liquid can be drunk, and it will be from a single goblet." He told the prince proudly.

"You never cease to surprise me. You're a lot smarter than you look." Arthur told him, knowing what he was going to have to do next.

"Is that actually a compliment?" The warlock asked in shock.

"Look out!" Arthur cried, getting Merlin's attention somewhere else. He quickly grabbed the goblet from in front of Merlin and poured it into the one in front of him.

Lillian knew what he was going to do next and grabbed hold of her goblet, stopping him from taking it. She said she wasn't going to speak, she wasn't going to interfere, she knew what needed to be done. But she couldn't do it. She cared too much about Arthur to just let him willing drink poison.

Arthur didn't waste any time, Merlin had already worked out he was trying to distract him. "Lily, I'm so sorry." He whispered, before leaning over and kissing her. He felt her tears drop onto his face as she kissed him back. But his kiss was a distraction, and he gently tugged the goblet out of her hand.

He now had a full goblet, and two empty ones in front of him. "No! I will drink it!" Merlin demanded.

"As if I'd let either of you."

"You can't die. This isn't your destiny." Merlin protested angrily. He was also concerned as to why Lillian wasn't saying anything, why she wasn't trying to protect Arthur. But he had seen the way the prince had distracted her. She probably had more on her mind now than ever before.

"It seems you're wrong again." Arthur told him smugly.

"Listen to me!"

"You know me, Merlin. I never listen to you." Arthur held out the goblet and gave Lillian one last look. Her head was now in her hands, and he knew she was still crying. He knew she didn't want him to do it, he knew she would have gladly drunk it. But he also knew that she understood why he had to do it.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried, just as the prince fell unconscious. That was when Lillian leapt out of her chair and sat herself down on the ground, cradling the prince's head in her lap. "No! What have you done?" He spat at Anhora.

He rushed over and tried to wake Arthur up, but he didn't move. "Please. Please! Just… let me take his place!" Merlin begged.

"This was Arthur's test, not yours." Anhora told him, watching Lillian with the prince.

"You've killed him! I was meant to protect him. We both were!" He shouted.

"He is not dead. He's merely consumed a sleeping draught. He will come round shortly." Anhora told him.

"What?" Merlin was slightly shocked at the piece of news.

"A unicorn is pure of heart. If you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you also are pure of heart." Lillian told him quietly, keeping her attention fixed on Arthur.

Anhora just smiled and nodded. "Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save both of yours. He has proven what is truly in his heart. The curse will be lifted." Anhora told them, before disappearing.

"_Thank you, Anhora." _Lillian called after him.

"_Your destiny is unfolding, Princess. Soon, you and the prince will see what you truly have."_

Lillian let out a sigh as they both waited for Arthur to regain consciousness. They didn't really feel like carrying him through the labyrinth and thought it best to wait till he could walk himself.

"Lillian, did you know?" Merlin asked her softly. She just nodded at him as she wiped away the rest of her tears. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I couldn't." She whispered. "If I did, it would cause Arthur to fail."

The pair sat there in silence for some time until Arthur started to stir. Lillian quickly put a smile on her face as she watched the prince open his eyes. "What happened?" He asked, slightly confused.

"Turned out, the poison wasn't poison. You've done it, Arthur. The curse has been lifted, you saved Camelot, and your people." She told him.

He looked up at her as she leaned over him. "Lillian, I need to tell you something…"

"The kiss was a distraction. I know, I already worked that out when you took the goblet from me." She told him quietly. She knew it was a distraction, even though she didn't want it to be.

"We should head back to Camelot." Merlin said, going to help Arthur up. "Anyone remember the way through that place?" He said, pointing to the labyrinth.

"We could always go around it? Would probably be quicker than getting lost in there for days." Lillian suggested.

Both the men agreed and a few hours later, they found themselves at the entrance to the labyrinth. Arthur and Merlin found their horses, and seemed a little bemused when they couldn't find Lillian's.

"Oh, I must not have tied him up well enough." She said, looking down at the ground. She hadn't even used a horse, so it can't have gone missing.

"You can ride with me, Lillian." Arthur said, helping her to mount his horse before getting on behind her. She was actually rather comfortable, and couldn't stop herself from resting against him as they made their way back to Camelot.

When they arrived, the whole place seemed different. People were in a better mood, there seemed to be food going around as well. "Merlin, Arthur, Lillian, there is good new!" Gaius cried, rushing to them as they dismounted at the castle. "The crops are growing once again! They are bringing in the harvest."

"You did it." Merlin said, looking at the prince with a smile.

"Is this your doing? Is the sorcerer dead?" Uther asked, looking at his son.

"He won't be troubling us anymore." Arthur told him, tightening his grip on Lillian's hand.

"Good, make sure the grain reserves are re-stocked."

"I'll see to it. There's something we must do first." He told his father, before heading in side to fetch something.

A while later, they found themselves out in the forest, where Arthur had killed the unicorn. He placed its horn down on the mound of stones. "I should never have ended your life. I'm sorry." He said, as they began to pile more stones on top.

Lillian just looked off into the distance. "Arthur, Merlin…" She whispered, getting their attention. They both looked up and followed her gaze, and saw a living unicorn.

"_When he who kills a unicorn proves himself to be pure of heart, the unicorn will live again."_ Anhora's voice echoed throughout the trees.

That night, Lillian struggled to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Arthur bleeding and dying. The image of a beast kept flashing in her mind, and she just couldn't get rid of it.

She pulled herself out of her bed and dragged herself to the door. The corridor was empty, but even if it wasn't, she wouldn't have noticed due to the exhausted state she was in. She knocked on Arthur's chamber door and Merlin soon answered it.

"Lillian?" Arthur said in concern when he saw he standing there. "What's wrong?" He asked, instantly getting up from where he was dealing with some paperwork.

"I can't sleep." She mumbled, as he took her hand and led her over to his bed.

He sat her down on the edge before sitting next to her. "Why can't you sleep?" He asked her softly.

"Nightmares." She whispered, leaning against him.

The prince let out a sigh. "Do you want to stay here tonight?" He asked her, knowing that she needed him.

"I don't want to keep being a burden to you." Lillian mumbled to him. She hadn't really answered his question, but then, he didn't really need her to give him a straight answer.

"You're never a burden, Lily." He knew that whatever this nightmare of hers was, it had to be pretty bad for her to be acting the way she was. "Merlin, go home. Finish off tomorrow." He told his manservant.

The warlock obviously got the hint. "Yes, sire. Goodnight." He said, before bowing out of the room.

"_Hey, everything's okay, Lillian."_ Merlin called to her as he made his way to his chamber. He knew something was wrong, he could feel it. It was as if a storm was approaching, and only the pair of them could feel it. He knew whatever was bothering Lillian was serious, he knew not to doubt her.

It had been on the trip to Ealdor that he really began to understand her better, to see how protective she was of her friends. Like the way she had shouted at Will for putting him down, the way she stood up for both him and Arthur against the man.

Arthur stayed sitting on the bed with Lillian. He was debating about whether or not he should ask her about those nightmares. The last time he recalled her having one was when her brother had been there, when the Black Knight had appeared. He hadn't asked her then, all he knew was that she was calling his name that time.

"How are you feeling?" He eventually asked her.

"Tired. But… I'm too scared to sleep." She mumbled to him.

"Lily, when was the last time you had a nightmare?" Arthur knew he had to be careful, he didn't want her to clam up and keep everything to herself like she usually did.

"A few nights ago." Lillian admitted to him. This took the prince by surprise, she had not been telling him about them.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He felt her shrug in his arms. "Morgana has nightmares, and everyone makes her take a sleeping draught that Gaius makes. But they never help her. I don't want to have to rely on potions to sleep."

Arthur just looked at her, knowing that what she had said about Morgana was true. He wouldn't like to rely on taking a draught every night to sleep properly. "You don't need anything else, you've got me here." He told her, pushing her away a little. He knew she was going to have to stay with him all night. And he was probably not going to sleep much from worrying about her.

"I hate always having to rely on you, Arthur. It's not fair on you." She mumbled as he got her to lie down in the bed.

"Hey, you know I don't mind. You know I'd do anything for you, Lily." He assured her.

"I still don't know why you put up with me." Arthur had barely been able to hear her when she spoke. He knew she was tired, and scared. All he could do was be the friend she needed and help her through the night. He wanted to get her to speak about her nightmares, but he was debating if that really was a good idea.

"You know why I put up with you, Lillian." He told her, planting a kiss on the top of her head as he got in the bed next to her. "Now try to get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere." He reached out and took hold of her hand and watched her settle down to sleep.

He knew that he would eventually end up falling asleep, but he didn't expect to be woken up by Lillian's screaming the moment he did. "Lily, stop it. Come on, it's just a nightmare." He assured her hushing her and gently stroking her hair.

"Arthur… no, please!" She cried, still having her nightmare. "Not Arthur, please, not Arthur." She pleaded. The prince could see the tears streaming down her face as he continued to try to wake up her.

"It's only a dream, it's not real. Come on, wake up, Lily." He begged, shaking her a little in the hopes that it would help wake her up.

"Take me, not him. Take me, please take me."

Arthur didn't know what else to try, he didn't seem to be able to get through to her. "Lillian you have to wake up, it's a nightmare, it isn't real." He called at her, holding onto her shoulders and shaking her harder than he would have liked.

Suddenly her eyes flew open and for just a second, Arthur could have sworn her eyes were gold. But when he looked again, they were those stunning green eyes that he adored so much. "Hey, come on, hush now. It was only a dream, Lily. It was only a dream." He told her, holding her close to him and rocking her slightly as she sobbed into his shirt.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I'm so useless and weak." She choked out between her cries.

"No you're not. Don't you ever think that for a moment. You are the bravest and strongest woman I know. You are not useless and you certainly are not weak." He assured her, trying his best to calm her down. "What happened, Lily?" He asked her quietly, brush some of her hair away from her face.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter." She told him, trying to fold back the next flood of tears that were building in her eyes.

"No, it does matter, Lillian. You were screaming and crying from a nightmare, and earlier you were too scared to even sleep. Tell me what happened." He ordered her softly.

Lillian knew that she wasn't going to get out of it that easily. She had to give him something he would believe. "I just… kept replaying over what happened when you drank from the goblet. I keep dreaming what would have happened if you had died." She told him, trying to control her emotions.

"Lily, I'm not going to die anytime soon. I will never leave you. I swear." Arthur told her, holding her tightly and kissing her hair. If only Lillian could actually believe him. She was starting to think that maybe her nightmares were more than what they seemed.

* * *

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the long wait, but I hope it was worth it. Next episode, who Lillian really is finally comes out. **

**Now, big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I'm not joking when I say they brighten up my day. And a thank you to all who have faviourited/followed. I'm glad to see so many of you enjoying the story. **

**Pippa.**


	20. Le Morte d'Arthur Pt1

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait again. But here we are, the first chapter of the end of series 1.**

* * *

Things hadn't been too great in Camelot, and it was reflected in Lillian's mood. Her friend's father had been killed by the guards, because he was supposedly working with a sorcerer. Then Morgana and Uther had been attacked when they went to visit her father's grave.

Lillian had done her best to comfort both Gwen and Morgana. Gwen had now lost both her parents, and she didn't know the whereabouts of her brother. Lillian knew what it was like to have no parents, as did Morgana. The three of them spent more time together, helping each other through what had happened.

She was on her way back from Morgana's, the nightmares hadn't stopped, if anything they just seemed to be getting worse, when she felt something wrong. _"Merlin? What's going on?"_ She asked him, stopping just before she reached her room. She was filled with fear and panic.

Her warlock friend didn't answer her, he just sent her an image of the beast they were currently running from. Lillian gasped when she saw the creature. It had the body of a leopard and the head of a snake. _"Get the hell out of there, Merlin!"_ She cried to him. _"You both have to get as far away from that thing as possible."_

"_I think we escaped. But we lost Sir Bedivere."_ Merlin told her sadly. They had managed to outrun the beast, but only because it had found flesh to feast on.

"_I want both if you home, right now. Do you understand me? Right now!"_ Lillian shouted to him.

"_Lillian, what's wrong? Why are you so scared and worried?"_ Merlin asked her. As soon as he had shown her the beast, he had felt her panic. He knew something was going on, he knew she knew more than she was letting on. But she would never tell him much.

"_That thing, that beast. I know it, I know what it is and what it can do. So you have to get the hell away from it and pray you never see it again."_ She told him firmly.

After that, Lillian slipped into Arthur's chamber to wait for him to return. She knew that he would have to inform his father, and something was telling her that Arthur was going to be sent out to kill the beast. But Lillian knew it wasn't that simple, it was a creature of the Old Religion.

She didn't know how long she waited for Arthur for, but she was woken up to him looking at her in confusion. She realised she had fallen asleep on his bed, holding his cloak tightly to her chest.

"Lillian, what are doing here?" Arthur asked her when he saw her eyes open.

"Nothing. I was just…" She tried to think of a good reason for why he had found her like that on his bed. "I had another nightmare and I must have wandered into your room and fallen asleep." She told him, hoping that he would accept her excuse.

"Well I'm here now Lily. But we came across a beast today. I ride out at dawn to slay it." He told her, knowing that she didn't want to talk about her nightmares any more. She had been telling him about them a lot more recently, and it scared him as to how many of them involved him and his death. Or him being in grave danger.

"Don't go, Arthur. Please, I'm begging you not to go." Lillian cried, feeling the tears building in her eyes already.

"Lillian, this beast is a threat to Camelot. I have to protect the kingdom and its people. It needs to be destroyed. I promise to come home safely. I always do, don't I?" He said, hoping to reassure her and calm her a little.

"Then… I'm coming with you."

Arthur just looked at her with wide eyes. "No. Don't you even think about it. There is no way I am letting you come." He told her firmly.

"If you're going then so am I." Lillian was not going to back down. She was not willing to let him go and face that beast without her. Not after what she had seen.

"If I have to lock you in the castle then I will. You are not coming, Lillian. And that is final." He had ended up shouting at her. He hadn't wanted to, it had just happened.

She just glared at him, before getting off his bed and storming out of his room and back to her own chamber. _"Merlin, has Gaius explained what that beast you saw is yet?"_

"_The Questing Beast."_

"_Merlin, it turns out that Morgana may not be the only seer in the castle."_ She had been very reluctant to tell him, but she felt now was the right time to start coming clean. She knew Arthur was still going to go, whether she wanted him to or not.

"_What do you mean, Lillian?"_ He was concerned now. He knew she had been having nightmares, but could see really have been seeing the future in them?

"_Arthur is going to get bitten by the Questing Beast. I saw it, Merlin."_

The warlock was shocked by what she had told him. _"It could just have been a nightmare."_ He tried to assure her.

"_I am not Morgana, I know more about seers than you do. This wouldn't be the first time I have dreamed the future, Merlin. It's been happening since I was a child, only I thought it had passed."_ Her nightmares as a child had always come to pass as well, but after she left Camelot, they became less frequent and finally stopped. But now she was sure they were back and they were going to come true.

"_Then I will make sure it does not happen, Lillian. I will protect Arthur."_

"_You better, Merlin. One bite, you die, and there is no cure. You must both be careful when you face it tomorrow." _She warned him.

Lillian didn't leave her chamber for the rest of the day. She eventually fell asleep only to be woken with another nightmare, the same one she had been having for days. She left her chamber and was about to walk to Arthur's room, but decided against it. She was annoyed with him as it was, and she couldn't face him right now.

She turned around and headed the other way, towards Morgana's chamber. When she got there, she found she was asleep, yet a little restless. Lillian knew that Morgana was probably going to have a nightmare, most likely the same one. So she sat herself by the window and gazed out towards the night sky.

It was almost dawn when she heard Morgana screaming behind her. She was out of the chair in a shot and over to the bed. "Morgana? Morgana! Wake up." Lillian called to her friend, holding onto her arms as she thrashed about. "Wake up, it's me! It's Lillian. Stop it! It was just another dream." She shouted, and Morgana finally stopped fighting her.

"It was terrifying, Lillian." The woman told her, before sobbing into her arms.

"Oh, come on, Morgana. It's going to be alright. Everything is going to be fine, I promise you." She whispered to her as she held her.

"No it isn't, Lillian. I saw this beast, and it killed Arthur." Lillian froze. Morgana had the same dream, and she was definitely a seer. If she saw it, then it was true.

"What did this beast look like, Morgana?" She asked her friend softly.

"The head of a snake and the body of a leopard." She mumbled, trying to control her sobbing.

"Morgana, look at me." Lillian told the woman. "Just, look at me." Morgana raised her head and looked at her. "I swear to you, I will not let Arthur die."

"But I saw it, and you know it's going to come true. Like what happened with Sophia." Morgana protested.

"Yes, and look what happened then. She didn't kill him, did she? Merlin and I stopped her and brought Arthur back alive. Whatever happens, Morgana, I will make sure Arthur lives." Lillian knew what she had to do now. She was sure now that Arthur was going to be bitten by the Questing Beast, and she knew of the one way to save him from it.

"I have to tell Arthur." Morgana called, before tearing herself out of Lillian's arms and charging through the castle.

Lillian had trouble keeping up with her, she could move pretty fast when she wanted to.

"You've seen the foe we face. It's a creature of nightmare, but you are the bet knights in the realm. We can, and we will, kill it before it harms another citizen of our kingdom." She heard Arthur call in the courtyard. "For the love of Camelot!" He cried after drawing his sword.

The knights all followed him, before Morgana rushed out in her nightdress and down the steps. "Arthur!" She cried, still rather hysterical.

"Morgana, what are you doing?" Arthur asked her, slightly concerned about her current state.

"You cannot face this!" She begged with him, trying to grab hold of him.

"Morgana, go back to bed. There is nothing to be afraid of." Arthur assured her, before spotting Lillian at the top of the steps, hugging her bare arms. He frowned at her, seeing she too was in her nightdress.

"Please, Arthur. I have seen terrible things! You cannot go!" She pleaded, but Arthur was not going to listen to her, he wouldn't even listen to Lillian.

"She probably had a bad dream, sire. I'll take her to see Gaius." Merlin said, glancing up at Lillian and sending her a worried look.

"No! I will not let you go!" The woman cried, getting herself into more and more of a state. That was when Lillian finally decided to head down the steps. She knew she needed to get Morgana back inside and calm her down.

"Please, Merlin, get her inside." Arthur said, pulling the woman off him and passing her over to his manservant.

"I will make sure he's safe, My Lady. I promise." Merlin told her, guiding her back up the stairs. "Lillian, will you take care of Morgana?" He asked as he reached her. She just nodded at him and took the woman into her arms.

"Come on, Morgana. There is nothing you can do. Everything will be fine, I promise you." Lillian told her, hoping it would calm her even just a little.

"Lillian, you have to believe me. It's going to kill him." Morgana warned her as they made it back to the lady's chamber.

"Morgana, I do believe you." Lillian told her firmly. "I… I had the same dream." Morgana just looked at her in shock. "Arthur gets bitten by the Questing Beast and dies. That is what we have both seen. And I will tell you now, I will find a way to stop it."

"But how? How can you stop it?" Morgana was still a wreck, but Lillian was managing to keep herself together.

"Believe in me, Morgana. That's all. Just believe in me." She told her, grasping both her hands tightly. The woman nodded at her slowly. "You must stay here. Try to get some rest, take some of the potion Gaius has made for you. I promise you, I will save Arthur."

Lillian made her way back to her chamber and quickly got dressed. She pulled on one of the simplest dresses she had and took out her riding cloak. "Quick way or long way?" She asked herself out loud. "Quick way." She decided, locking her chamber door. "Geanoirr mec æt sé Isle sylfum sé Blessed." She whispered, her eyes flashed gold and she suddenly found she was no longer in her chamber.

She couldn't help but smile when she found she had actually ended up on her feet for once, and not her backside. But her smile soon faded when she heard a voice. "How is it possible that you are still alive?" A woman hissed at her.

Lillian smirked a little. "Oh, you clearly do not know as much about me as you once thought, Nimueh."

"You should be dead. The poison should have killed you within minutes." The woman said, circling her.

"And yet, here I am. There's something about me that you don't actually know, isn't there?" Lillian asked her, taking a step closer to her. "I may be known to some as Lily of the Valley, I'm still working on trying to understand that one, but I am known as something else, High Priestess Nimueh."

She saw the confused look on the woman's face, and couldn't help but feel a little smug. "You are not the only High Priestess to be standing on this isle."

Nimueh just started laughing at her. "You think that you are a High Priestess of the Old Religion?" She snorted, before sending a fireball towards Lillian.

She stood there want watched the burning orange ball heading towards her, and in the blink of an eye, it faded. The other woman just threw several more at her, one after the other. And just like before, they all turned to nothing before they were anywhere near Lillian.

"Have you finished with your games, Nimueh? I came here for a reason, one that I believe you shall be interested in hearing." Lillian said, getting bored of the tricks being thrown at her.

"What is it you seek?" Nimueh asked, seeming more interested now.

"No mortal weapon can kill a High Priestess, and as you have seen, my magic is stronger than you anticipated. The Questing Beast shall bite Arthur. I come here to trade my life for his." She saw Nimueh's eyes light up at the piece of information.

"Why should I grant your request?" The woman asked her, trying to work out if she was tricking her.

"You have tried to kill me once, and that failed. With the power of the Cup of Life, you can take my life and save Arthur's." Lillian knew what she was doing, exactly what she had promised to Morgana and said to Arthur.

"You would give your life so willing for Arthur Pendragon?" The woman asked her, an eyebrow raised.

"I would. And he knows as much. Nimueh, your fight is against Uther. He is the one who banned magic, he is the one who has persecuted our kind since the day Arthur was born. None of this is his fault." Lillian told her, in a much calmer tone.

"Arthur Pendragon is just as bad as his father with executing our kind." The other woman spat at her.

"He has lived and followed by his father's rules. Once Arthur is king, everything we know will change. He is the one to free us and allow magic back to this land." Lillian told her.

Nimueh just smirked at her. "You believe that much in the prince?"

"I do. And that is why I am here today, to offer my life for his. He is out there now, facing the beast. I know someone else will come to offer their life for his, but you will take mine. Do we have a deal?" Lillian asked her, hoping that she would agree.

Nimueh nodded at her. "We have a deal, High Priestess Lillian." There was a smug grin on her face. She was going to be able to get rid of her, once and for all.

"You cannot go back on your word." Lillian reminded her. "You know the fate you shall suffer if you do."

"You should return to Camelot." Nimueh told her. Lillian just nodded, and cast the spell to take her back to her chamber.

The moment she was there, she filled with dread. She took a deep breath and stepped over to the window. Down in the courtyard, Uther was carrying the lifeless body of his son. "Arthur!" She cried, running out of her room and to meet them.

She came across the knights carrying the prince to his chamber, and she walked with them in silence. Once they placed him down on his bed, she made him more comfy until the king entered.

"I'm sorry, sire. I was just trying to make him more comfortable." She said, hanging her head as the man entered the room. The tears were streaming down her face, she found that no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't stop them.

The king let out a sigh. "Oh, Lillian." He said softly, before wrapping his arms around her and embracing her as if she were a daughter to him. Lillian didn't fight back, in fact, she let herself relax and cry even more.

"He can't die, Uther. I won't let him die." She mumbled between her cries.

"Hush now, my child. There is nothing you can do for him, just be there for him." He told her, trying to stop her from shaking.

He led her over to the bed where Arthur was lying, pulling a chair over for her to sit on and then one for himself. Neither of them spoke as they watched the prince sleep restlessly.

While Lillian stayed with Arthur, Merlin made his way to the dragon to find out for himself how Arthur could be saved. "I have failed Arthur." He called, when he saw the dragon sitting there waiting for him.

"And yet, you would not be here if that were true." Kilgharrah replied.

"He was bitten by the Questing Beast. He's going to die. And Lillian knew it was going to happen." The warlock told him.

"There is much you do not know about Princess Lillian, she is the young sorceress who has much to hide."

"What do you mean?" Merlin was confused now, more than ever.

"You know the name the druids call her, she is the Lily of the Valley. She holds more power than you can ever begin to imagine." The dragon told him, being his normal cryptic self.

"But what does any of that mean? Can she save Arthur?" There was hope in the warlock's eye now.

Kilgharrah seemed to pause to think before answering the warlock. "Does he still breath?"

"Only just."

"Then there is time to heal him." He was avoiding answering Merlin's questions. He knew what Lillian had done earlier that day.

"I've tried. I cannot save him."

"You do not know how to save him." The dragon corrected him.

"But you can tell me how?" His hope was growing stronger now. If there were a way to save Arthur, he would do it. Camelot needed him, Albion needed him. But most of all, he knew that Lillian needed him. He was not going to let Arthur die.

"Perhaps. It will not be easy."

"I will do anything." Merlin told him, knowing that it was true.

"Anything?"

"Please, just tell me what I have to do!" Merlin begged. There was little time, and Kilgharrah only seemed interested in wasting it.

"Very well. The Questing Beast is a creature conjured by the powers of the Old Religion. You must use the same ancient magic to save him." The dragon told him.

"But the Old Religion died out centuries ago." Merlin told him, slightly confused.

"The Old Religion is the magic of the Earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men."

"But how can that help me save Arthur?" He asked, not understanding what the dragon before him was telling him.

"You must find those who still serve it." He told him. "Those who hold dominion over life and death."

"Where?"

"Go to the place that men call the Isle of the Blessed, where the power of the ancients can still be felt. There you will discover Arthur's salvation." Merlin thanked the dragon, finally feeling more hope than he had done since Arthur had first succumbed to the beast's venom. "And Merlin, the young Pendragon must live, no matter what the cost."

"_I'm going to the Isle of the Blessed. There is a way to save Arthur. Do you want to come with me?"_ Merlin called to her once he had finished with Kilgharrah.

Lillian had already known that he would speak to Kilgharrah and find out how to save him. _"When I was near death, Arthur never left me and I will not leave him. I have faith in you, Merlin. Do what you can."_ She told him, trying to keep herself together.

"_I promise, he won't die, Lillian. I will not let him die." _

"_I know you won't, Merlin. And neither will I. My magic cannot heal him, but I can at least make him suffer less and keep him alive longer." _She told him, knowing that she could keep him alive till Merlin returned. _"Be careful, Merlin. You don't know who is waiting for you at the isle."_

"Come on, Arthur. You have to pull through this, you have to be okay." Lillian whispered to him as a few more tears fell.

Lillian didn't even notice when Uther left the room, her eyes had not left the broken form of the man she loved but could never have. She must have ended up falling asleep at some point, because she woke to find Arthur even more restless than before, and his fever getting more serious.

"Hey, shh." She said to the prince, gently stroking his head. "Sleep, Arthur." Her eyes flashed gold for a second and Arthur started to settle down a little. Lillian knew that her magic would have some impact on him, but her magic alone was not strong enough to save his life. All she could do was wait, and hope that would Nimueh keep to her word and take her life in exchange for his.

"You said you were going to protect him." Morgana cried, bursting into the room. "You said you wouldn't let him die, but look at him."

"Morgana, please calm down. Arthur is not dead, I have no broken my word to you. I told you I would give my life for his, and if that is what it comes down to, then so be it." Lillian told her, still not taking her eyes away from Arthur.

"But there is no cure, there is no way to save him." Morgana protested.

"Please, have some faith. I was poisoned and meant to die, and yet here I am. Arthur is strong, and he will make it through this, alive." Lillian finally looked over at her friend. "I am not going to lose anyone else, especially not him."

Morgana took a deep breath to calm herself down. Lillian was right, he was still alive, and there was still hope. She sat down on the chair beside her. "You care a great deal about Arthur, don't you?" Morgana asked her.

"He is my best friend, of course I do. I care about all of my friends. I thought that was obvious when we went against Uther's orders and helped Merlin's mother and his village."

"No, it's more than that, Lillian. And everyone who has seen you and Arthur together knows it. You both care about each other more than as friends. You are willing to die for him, because of how much you love him." Morgana told her. Lillian knew it was the truth, all of it was. But how could she ever admit that to anyone else?

"I can't… I can't lose him, Morgana." Lillian whispered, before finding herself in her friend's arms and letting the tears fall freely again. "He means everything to me, I'm nothing without him."

"Oh, Lillian. I am sure Gaius is doing everything he can." Morgana told her, suddenly realising just how serious this was for Lillian. She had never seen her break down so quickly before, she wasn't the type to cry so openly, and she knew in an instant that Lillian loved Arthur with everything she had.

"Come on, you should get some rest." Morgana told her, trying to pull her away from the prince.

"No. I won't leave him. He never left me, I won't leave him. I have to be here." Lillian told her firmly. What little time she had left, she was going to spend it with Arthur. She knew it was going to break Arthur when he recovered only to find she had been lost instead, but to her, he was worth it.

Morgana let out a sigh. "You're both as stubborn as the other."

"I leant from the best." She told her, letting a small smile form on her face. When they had been children, the three of them were always being stubborn, they would always try to outdo each other. Everyone knew Morgana was stubborn, and so was Arthur. But it came as a shock to everyone when suddenly Lillian was worse than both of them put together.

* * *

**A/N: So, that's the first part, and I hope you all enjoyed it. Again, sorry for the long wait. **

**There are a few surprises in store during this and even more after. So I hope you keep reading. **

**Pippa.**


	21. Le Morte d'Arthur Pt2

**A/N: Sorry for yet another long wait for an update, but only 2 more weeks till I'm finished working at this school. **

* * *

Lillian sat on the side of the bed next to Arthur, dipping a piece of cloth into a bowl of cool water before dabbing it against his sweating head.

"You're not going to die, Arthur. I'm telling you. Because I know, that one day, you will be king. A greater king than your father could ever be. It's what keeps me going. You are going to live and be the man I've seen inside you. The man I have always know you to be, Arthur." She said, moving the cloth and dabbing it against his chest.

"I can see a Camelot that is fair and just. I can see a king that the people will love just as much as I do, and be proud to call their sovereign. I know you're going to live, Arthur." She told him, putting her hand against the side of his face. "I have made sure of that. I told you, I would lay down my life for you."

Lillian let out a sigh, the last time she had been able to talk to him like this was when he had been sleeping before the fight against Tristan. "You have no idea who I really am, Arthur. You think that all magic is evil, when it's the person who wields it who is evil. The magic you have seen has always been out of revenge. Just once, I want you to be able to see how magic can be used for good."

She wondered if now was a good time to tell him. If he remembered, he wouldn't be able to do much to her, she'd already be dead. "I have magic, Arthur. I was born with it, I didn't choose to have magic, it chose me. That was why we left Camelot, that's why no matter how much I love you, we can never be together." The tears were falling again. Lillian didn't know how she could still be crying, she had shed so many tears already.

"I never use magic. Not if there is another option. I would never use it to harm you or anyone in Camelot. The only times I have used it, is to help you. To keep you safe. I let my parents and my town die, because I wouldn't use my magic. If I had, then I could have saved everyone. But I would have been found out, and sentenced to death." She hated thinking back to that night, the night she let so many people die. "I could have saved them, I should have saved them. Instead, I saved myself."

Lillian let out a sigh, her head was in turmoil, she didn't know what to think anymore. "I was selfish. I listened to my parent's pleas and ran, they told me not to use my magic, they feared for me. Now look where they are, gone."

"But it's okay, Arthur. Everyone I have ever let down, I will see them all soon. I deserve this for what I have done. I lied to you, I let my friends die, all to protect myself. Well, not anymore, Arthur Pendragon." She noticed him stirring a little, mumbling in his sleep.

Lillian let out a sigh and began to wipe his forehead again. "You're okay, Arthur, you're going to be just fine, I promise you."

"Lily…" She heard him whisper.

"I'm here, Arthur. I'm not going anywhere. I will be with you for a long as you need me." She told him, knowing that the moment he was healthy, she would be gone.

"My Lily…"

"Yes, I am your Lily. Your little Lily, and I always will be, no matter what. Remember that, Arthur." She tried her best to hold back a sob, and it ended up caught in her throat. "After this, you need to forget about me, Arthur. Forget me and live your life."

Arthur started to get a little restless again at that point. "Lily… I…"

"Shh, Arthur. You need to rest, let me do the talking for once." She told him, clasping a hold of his hand. "I love you, with all my heart. And I have done for longer than I can remember. I've only ever told my brother exactly how I feel, but he claimed to have always known."

This was it, her last chance to tell him everything, and she was going to take it. "I have no doubt that I could love you forever. The only trouble is, I really don't have the time. Even if I did, would you really want to know me, knowing I have magic?" She asked him, hoping with all her heart that he would answer her and say yes. But he didn't say a word. "I've got one night only, Arthur. That's all I have to spare. I only have till dawn." She told him, glancing up at the window and at the darkened sky.

"By the time you wake up, I'll be gone. But that's okay, honestly, at least I know that I finally told you the truth."

"_Lillian, I have it. I have water from the Cup of Life. Arthur isn't going to die."_ Merlin called to her with some sadness in his voice.

"_And what price did you pay, Merlin? Who's life did you offer to Nimueh to save Arthur?" _She knew she had to act angry, she had to keep up the pretence just a little longer.

"_My own. But… how did you know it was Nimueh?"_ The confusion was evident in his voice.

"_Merlin, there is something I should tell you. You need to know the truth about me." _She knew it wasn't just Arthur she needed to confess to.

"_What is it, Lillian? What's wrong?"_

"_I am a High Priestess of the Old Religion. Born to serve in the new age of magic that will rise when Arthur is king." _She told him, trying to keep herself strong. _"That is how I know so much, Merlin. That is why Arthur can never know about me."_

"_What? A High Priestess? I don't understand. You're a High Priestess?" _He asked her in shock.

Lillian let out a sigh. _"Yes, Merlin. That is what I said. That is why Nimueh wishes me dead."_ That was entirely true, but they would never have to find out the truth now. _"Merlin, just hurry up back here with that water. The people have already started to gather to say goodbye to their prince." _

"I don't think there is anything else left for me to tell you, Arthur. I've told you the truth, about who I am and how I feel about you. I accept that you will now hate me, but do not take this out on my brother. He has never done anything apart from try to protect his younger sister." She told him.

"Lily…" He whispered again. It broke her heart to hear him calling her name, because she knew she wouldn't be there when he woke up.

"Rest, Arthur." She told him, squeezing his hand.

"Lily… I…" She knew he was trying to say something, but she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it.

"No, no talking, Arthur. You need to sleep."

"I love…"

Lillian's eyes widened. "No, don't say it, Arthur. Please, don't say it." She begged, hoping he would just stop and sleep like he needed to.

"I love you…" He told her, gripping her hand tightly.

"No, Arthur. No. You are not allowed to say that, not after everything I have just told you. You have a fever, you're delusional. You have no idea what you are saying." She rambled, mainly trying to convince herself more than anything that he didn't mean it.

She heard the door creek open and turned to see Uther standing at the door. "How is he, Lillian?" He asked her softly as he came over to the bed.

"He is not getting any better, but he is also not getting any worse. He has been mumbling a lot. I've been talking to him, telling him he is going to survive." Lillian told him, moving off the bed and sitting back in the chair so the king could be closer to his son.

"You should get some rest, Lillian. I will inform you if there is any change." He told her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"No, Uther. I will not leave him. As I have said before, he never left me, and I will never leave him." She told him firmly.

There was a small smile tugging at the corner of Uther's lips. "How like my son you are. We are all blessed to have you here, Lillian. You bring out the best in him."

"He brings out the best in me as well. He is the greatest man I have ever known, and ever will know." Although Lillian was completely exhausted, she was not going to yield to it yet. "I don't know who I'd be without him." She whispered.

"Losing the one you love is the hardest thing anyone can go through." Uther told her, watching her closely.

"I'm not going to lose him." She said firmly, even though her eyes were filling up again. "I am not going to lose him."

"I can see just how much you love my son, Lillian. But we are losing him."

"No. He will live, he will pull through this, he will make it." There was so much fire and determination in her voice now. "I am not going to lose anyone else. I am not going to lose the man I love."

Uther seemed a little shocked by her attitude, but he could understand it. "You admit that you are in love with my son?"

"I am. And I would do anything for him. If I could trade places with him, I would. I would gladly die for Arthur, and he knows that."

"I know my son loves you just as much. Even if he is too stubborn to admit it." The king told her.

"He could never love me. And I wouldn't want him to, he deserves so much better." Uther could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Princess Lillian, you are more than worthy of my son, if anything, it is you who deserves better."

She smiled at him a little, before turning her attention back to the prince as Uther took the seat beside her. They continued to watch over the prince, until Lillian fell asleep, resting her head on the side of the bed.

Uther left her alone with his son. He was pleased that she had finally admitted how she felt about him, he just wished the pair had realised what they had sooner.

While Lillian slept, Gaius and Merlin came to Arthur's chamber. "Do you think we should wake her?" Merlin asked, noticing the sleeping princess.

"No. She has not left his side. Let her rest." Gaius told him, as they approached the bed.

Merlin lifted the prince up slightly, while Gaius dripped the water from the canteen into the prince's mouth.

"What are you doing, physician?" Uther asked, opening the door and noticing them at the bed. "What are you giving him?"

"It's a… a tincture made from the lobelia plant, an ancient remedy for poisonous bites." Gaius told the king nervously.

"A cure?" Uther was now hopeful.

"We hope."

"Do you really think it will have some effect?" The king asked, watching them closely as he approached the bed. He noticed Lillian sleeping soundly with her head on the edge of the bed.

"It's our last resort, sire." Gaius told him, before continuing to get as much of the water into the prince as he could. "Perhaps you should allow him to rest." The old man recommended.

"I will not leave him. Just as Princess Lillian has not left him." Uther said, sitting in the second chair as both Gaius and Merlin left.

And that was where both of them stayed. Eventually, Uther fell asleep, slumped back in the chair while Gaius paced the room. He didn't wake until he heard his son take a deep breath, followed by another.

When the king opened his eyes, he saw his son was awake. "Arthur." He said, relief flooding him at the sight of his son recovering. That was when Gaius left the room, to go and inform Merlin of how the prince was.

"I thought we'd lost you." Uther told his son. Night had now fallen and the prince was looking much healthier. The colour had returned to him and he was regaining his strength.

"Don't worry, father, I'm not going to die. I think there's someone watching over me, keeping me from harm." Arthur told him, looking at Lillian still sleeping away.

"Maybe you're right. On your long journey to become king, you will need a guardian angel." Uther told him, looking at Lillian as well. "She hasn't left your side. The poor child is exhausted, she has been sleeping most of the day."

"She has been here the whole time?" Arthur asked, looking at the woman. Her hair was sprayed out around her, her head resting in her arms on the bed.

"Yes. She refused to leave you, just like you refused to leave her." There was a smile on the king face. "I shall inform the court that their prince lives." He said, walking towards the door.

Arthur reached out his hand and began to gently stroke Lillian's hair. "Hey, Lily. I think it's time you woke up now." The prince told her softly. "Come on, Lily, you've slept for long enough." He told her, brushing some of her hair away from her face.

She was pale, and the only time he had ever seen her as pale as that was when she had been poisoned. "Lily?" He called, a little more worried than before. "Lillian?" He gently shook her, but still she didn't wake.

He sat up in the bed, not caring about his own injuries. "Lillian, this isn't funny. Wake up, please." He pleaded.

The door opened and a worried looking Gwen stood there. "Is everything alright, My Lord?" She asked him, having heard his worried calls as she was passing.

"Fetch Gaius." He told her, placing a hand against Lillian's face. It was a cold as ice.

"Are you not feeling well?" She asked him, not able to see what had happened.

"It's Lillian, she won't wake up. Her skin feels like ice and she is paler than those sheets you are holding." He told her, referring to the clean white linen she was carrying.

Gwen didn't waste any time, and after dropping the sheets on the floor, she ran to the physician's chamber. "Gaius, you have to come quickly, it's Lillian, Arthur can't get her to wake up." Gwen told him in a panic.

"Slow down, Gwen. Tell me again." The old man said, placing a hand on her arm to calm her.

"Arthur is trying to wake Lillian up, but he can't. His said her skin feels like ice and she is so pale." Gwen told him, trying to stop herself from breaking down into tears. They had just heard word that Arthur was alive and well, but now the princess was in danger instead. Gwen didn't know what to do, that woman had been there for her when her father was killed. She had comforted her, ensured that she would be looked after and told her that if ever she wanted to leave Camelot, she would be welcomed in Rolana.

He glanced back at Merlin's door, before grabbing his bag and following Gwen out of the room and back to the prince's chamber. When they arrived, Arthur was pretty much out of his bed, and Lillian was now lying there instead.

"Sire, you should be resting." Gaius protested, seeing the prince fussing over the woman in his bed.

"I cannot rest, Gaius. Not until Lillian has woken up." He told him determinedly.

The old man didn't say another word, he just examined the woman in the bed, frowning the whole time. "I cannot be sure exactly what she is suffering from, but I am afraid it does not look good." He told the prince.

"Do everything you can, Gaius." Arthur said to him and he watched Lillian. He just couldn't understand why this was happening. He had almost lost her once, and now he was losing her all over again.

While the physician worked in his chamber, trying to understand what could possibly be wrong with the princess and how he could save her, Merlin finally woke up.

"Gaius! I'm alive!" He cried, throwing open the door to his room and bounding down the few steps. The old man just glared at him. "What is it? What's happened?" Merlin asked, sensing that something was wrong.

Gaius let out a sigh. "Merlin…"

"What's wrong?"

"Princess Lillian. I am afraid she is not well." He told him, checking his book before turning his attention back to the potions brewing on his workbench.

"What's happened to her?" Merlin asked in a panic.

"She's gravely ill."

Merlin didn't know what to say. He had bargained his life for Arthurs, and yet it was Lillian's that had been taken. If only he had known that this was what Lillian had wanted, if only he had known that this was what she had asked for. "Do something." He demanded.

"If only I could."

"Please, Gaius." He pleaded.

Gaius just shook his head at him. "Merlin, this is no ordinary illness."

The warlock was still in disbelief about what had happened. "This cannot happen." He cried.

"Who did you meet on the Isle of the Blessed?" Gaius asked him suddenly.

Merlin wasn't sure he should tell him, but what other choice did he really have. "Nimueh."

The old man just looked at him in shock. "Nimueh?!"

"It was as you said. She demanded a price, but I bargained my life, not Lillian's." Merlin told him, the tears almost falling from his face. "I will make her better. I will." Merlin said with determination before charging out of the room.

He made his way down to the cave where Kilgharrah was kept captive. "You knew this would happen! You had me trade Lillian's life for Arthur's!" The warlock screamed at him.

"You said you would do anything."

"Did you know Lillian would die?" Merlin asked him.

"I knew the price would be heavy one." The dragon admitted.

"But you sent me anyway." He was past angry now, he was absolutely fuming with the dragon.

"The young princess knew what she was doing when she went to the Isle of the Blessed." Kilgharrah told him.

Merlin stared at him. "What do you mean? She went to the Isle of the Blessed?"

The dragon slightly nodded at the warlock. "She knew what was going to happen to Arthur, so bargained her life for Arthurs. Nimueh could not take your life for the prince's, the deal was struck between two High Priestesses."

"You knew she was a High Priestess?" The dragon didn't answer him. "But what about Lillian? She's going to die now, what about her destiny? She is meant to be the other half of Arthur, how can she when she is dead?" Merlin spat at him.

"We need Arthur to live. His destiny is greater."

There was a fire burning inside of Merlin. One of his best friends was dying, and the dragon didn't seem to care at all. "I'm not one of you!"

"We are both creatures of the Old Religion. It is the source of your power."

"What's that supposed to mean? Lillian is a High Priestess of the Old Religion. Are you telling me that her life means nothing?"

"Your destiny is to protect the young Pendragon until he claims his crown, and when he does, magic can be returned to the realm. Only then will I be free."

"Oh." It had finally dawned on Merlin. "So that's all you cared about? I thought you were my friend?"

"I am more than that, Merlin. I am your kin."

"No. The only family I have is my mother. And Lillian was like family to me as well, and now she is gone." Merlin spat at the dragon.

"Her life has not been taken in vain. We will achieve great things together, you and I."

"You will never be released, for what you've done!" The warlock shouted at him. "I'll make sure you never see the light."

"Merlin!" The dragon bellowed, before breathing fire at him. He shielded himself from the wrath of the dragon before facing him one last time.

"You… won't see me… again." He hissed.

He made his way back to see Gaius. He couldn't believe that Lillian knew what was going to happen and took it upon herself to make a deal with Nimueh, the woman who tried to kill her. "How is she?" Merlin asked as he noticed the man still working away at his bench.

"No change." The physician told him.

"I have to save her. Arthur needs her more than he needs me, they need each other." Merlin told him stubbornly.

"You cannot."

"If the balance of the world needs a life, then Nimueh must take mine." He decided.

Gaius just looked at him in shock. He had to stop him, he couldn't let him go back there again. "No, Merlin."

"Yes. I will return to the island."

Gaius shook his head at him. "You are young. Your gifts, your destiny is far too precious to sacrifice." He told him gently.

"My destiny? What about Lillian's? My powers mean nothing if I cannot save her. You have taught me so much. Taught me who I am. Taught me the purpose for my skills. Taught me that magic should be only used for great deeds. But most of all, you have always taught me to do what is right." The warlock was getting emotional, and he tried to hide it as best he could. "I need to say goodbye to Arthur."

Arthur's heart was breaking all over again. After everything that had happened, everything that they had been through, he had to watch her die in front of him again. "No, you pulled through once, you will do it again." He told her with determination.

He couldn't help but wonder why the world kept doing this to him, why it kept trying to take her away from him. He loved her, he knew he did, but he had never found the courage to tell her. Until he could have sworn she had told him that she loved him. "You're going to be fine, Lillian. I know you are."

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**A/N: And now Merlin knows the truth about Lillian. I guess that's going to make things a little more complicated for everyone. **

**Anyway, I'm glad to see so many people are enjoying my stories, and have stuck by with all the nonsense of irregular updates due to my crazy uni/school/everything else. It's going to get even crazier in June when I'm in Holland for 3 weeks, working. **

**Swiftly moving on, thank you to all of you who have reviewed. You guys really do make my day. I get rather excited when I get that little email, and a smile takes over my face when I read them. So keep them coming. **

**Big thank you to everyone who has followed/favourtied the story as well. I'm glad you guys are here, you're all awesome. **

**Pippa.**


	22. Le Morte d'Arthur Pt3

**A/N: Hey guys, I am so sorry for the log wait for the update. Life has been completely mad recently. Thanks to everyone who is still reading. **

* * *

Merlin entered the prince's chamber to find him sitting on the bed, holding Lillian's hand tightly with his other hand touching her cheek. "Merlin." Arthur said when he noticed him standing there.

"How are you?" The warlock asked him, feeling very nervous.

"Good. Unlike Lillian." He replied, looking back at her pale face.

"I'm pleased you're feeling better."

"Yes. I owe it all to Gaius. I just hope that he can save Lillian as well. I can't lose her." The prince told him.

"I need to talk to you." Merlin told him, wanting to get straight to the point and say goodbye to him.

"You still haven't got it yet, have you? I decide when we need to talk." The prince growled at him. Merlin knew he was only acting that way because of Lillian.

"Not today."

"I sometimes wonder if you know who I am."

There was a small smile on the warlocks face. "Oh, I know who you are."

"Good."

"You're a prat. And a royal one."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at little at his servant. "Are you ever going to change, Merlin?" He asked him.

"No, you'd get bored." He told him trying to stay serious. "But promise me this, if you get another servant, don't get a bootlicker."

Arthur just glared at him. "If this is you trying to leave your job…"

"No. I'm happy to be your servant. Till the day I die."

That just made the prince frown at him. He knew that something was going on, he could just sense it. "Sometimes I think I know you, Merlin. Other times…"

"Well, I know you. And you're a great warrior. One day, you'll be a great king." He told the prince, his words were full of honesty.

"That's very kind of you."

"But you must learn to listen as well as you fight."

That seemed to take Arthur by surprise a little. "Any other pointers?" He asked him, not knowing whether he should be annoyed or amused by what Merlin had said.

"No. That's it. Just… don't be a prat. And tell Lillian how you really feel about her. She loves you as well you know. She's just too scared to tell you because she thinks you won't love her back."

"Where has all this come from all of a sudden?" Arthur asked him, eyeing him suspiciously. "You're not being your usual annoying self, Merlin."

"Nowhere, I mean, I just think it's time the pair of you stopped being so stubborn and accepted the fact that you're meant to be together." He answered him nervously.

"I know, Merlin. And I will tell her, the moment she wakes up. I meant it when I said I couldn't lose her." Merlin just nodded at him and left the room, heading back to his chambers to pack and get some rest before taking his final journey to the Isle of the Blessed.

"Gaius?" He called the next morning, looking and finding the room empty. That was when he noticed a note, sitting on the table, with his name on it.

'_Dear Merlin,_

_My life is already near to its end. There has, for the most part, been very little purpose to it, very little that will be remembered. In contrast, Merlin, your life, and Lillian's, is destined for greatness. Live by the tenets I have taught you, and I believe you will, in time, become the greatest warlock ever. To have known you has been my greatest pleasure, and to sacrifice myself for you now is but an honour. You are and always will be the son I never had.'_

"No!" Merlin cried, rushing out of the room. Gaius had left to take his place to bargain for Lillian's, and he was not about to let that happen. He rode out of Camelot as fast as he could, not knowing how much of a head start Gaius had on him.

But while Merlin was making haste, Gaius was stood on the Isle of the Blessed before Nimueh.

"I never thought I'd see you here again." She said to the old man standing before her.

"My Lady." He replied, curtly bowing to her.

"It's a long time since you called me that."

"I come to ask for your help." He told her, knowing what must be done. The bargain for Arthur's life had been set, but he could ask for his to be taken in Lillian's place.

"As you did once before for Uther? You did not like the outcome." She reminded him. It was what had happened in the past that had caused her to be so bitter and full of hate towards Camelot and the Pendragon family.

"I offer a chance for you to atone the death of his wife."

Nimueh just stared at him. "I have saved the life of her son. What more do you ask for?" She asked him curiously.

"That this time, you take a just price. Merlin intends to offer his life for Princess Lillian's. I want you to take mine in his place." Gaius told her.

"With all my powers of prediction, I could never have foretold this. Gaius the hero." Nimueh mocked. "Why should I grant your wish? You stood and watched as our friends burned in the Great Purge. You are nothing but a traitor." She spat at him.

"Merlin and Lillian are the ones who can bring magic back to this land. At Arthur's side, they can help forge a new kingdom. A world of peace and beauty that we can only dream of." He told her, still not knowing the full extent of who Lillian truly was.

"Lillian has told me of this, she told me when she bargained her own life for that of Arthur Pendragon." She could see the confusion on the old man's face. "Oh, did you not know, Gaius? Before Merlin came to here, the princess Lillian bargained her own life. How could I have refused such an offer?"

"And now I am bargaining my own for her, and for Merlin." Gaius told her.

"The life of a physician, or the life of a High Priestess? Which one should I choose?" Nimueh pondered, watching the shocked expression on the old man's face. "I am disappointed that you did not work it out, Gaius. You have treated her since she was a child. But then, she even managed to hide it from me."

"Both Lillian and Merlin need to live to for destiny to take its course." He old man told her, getting over his initial shock. He knew there was something more to her, something different and special. The way she knew so much, seemed to translate languages with ease, it should have been obvious to him.

"And you're will to give your life, Gaius, for the future they will bring?" She asked, smirking at the man. "I'm waiting. Are you ready to die, Gaius?" He still didn't answer her, so she took a step closer to the man who used to be her friend. "Gaius?"

"For them, I will give my life." He told her. The smirk on her face just grew wider.

By the time Merlin had arrived, Nimueh had already started the ritual. "Ic, séo héahsácerd, þe ácwile strengþe ealdan æwfæstnesse!" She called, holding the Cup of Life in the air.

"Stop!" Merlin shouted, as he stepped into the centre of the isle where Nimueh was standing by the stone alter. He noticed Gaius, slumped on the floor.

"Back again so soon, warlock?" She asked him, putting the Cup on the alter and stepping towards him.

"What have you done?"

"You friend Lillian is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?" She asked him curiously.

"Have you killed him?" There was sadness and disbelief in Merlin's voice as he spoke.

"It was his wish."

"I bid my life for Arthur's, not Lillian's, not Gaius's" Merlin shouted at the High Priestess.

Nimueh just looked at him smugly. "The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies!" She called to him. "Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Both Lillian and Gaius knew this."

"It is not the Old Religion that has done this. It is you." Merlin spat at her.

"As a High Priestess, I had to accept Lillian's wish. She knew you would come and bargain your life for Arthur's, but she had already made the deal." Nimueh explained to him, trying to make him understand, if only a little.

"And Gaius bargained his for Lillian's…" Merlin realised. "Before I could…" He glared at the woman before him, anger and hatred filling inside of him.

"Come now. We are too valuable to each other to be enemies." She said, trying to coax him to join her.

"No! I share nothing with you." He spat, backing away from her a little.

"With my help, Arthur will become king." She told him proudly.

"Lillian and I will make Arthur king. But you will never see that day. Ástríce." Merlin cried, sending a bolt of magic at the woman. It done nothing as she absorbed his attack with her hand.

"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin. I am a priestess of the Old Religion. Forbærne!" She called, sending a ball of fire at him, just as she had done with Lillian. Merlin only just managed to duck out of its way as it smashed into the wall, blowing right through it. "You, too, are a creature of the Old Religion. You should join me."

That was when Merlin felt it, Lillian was with him, he could feel her magic, more powerful than ever, flowing through him. "You think I would join forces with such a selfish and sure magic?" He asked her. "Never."

"So be it." Nimueh said, before casting another spell at him. "Ácwele!" She threw another fireball, hitting Merlin straight in the chest.

"_Get up, Merlin."_ He heard Lillian whisper to him.

"Pity. Together we could've ruled the world." Nimueh said, standing over him before she walked away.

"_Come on, Merlin. You can do this. She may be a High Priestess, but you are Emrys. A life for a life. I believe in you, Emrys."_ She told him, giving him that hope and faith that he needed.

"You should not have killed my friend." He called to Nimueh, finally back on his feet. She turned to face him, a smirk on her face again.

"_You can control the elements, you have the strength, the power and the heart to do it, Merlin."_

At hearing Lillian's words, he knew what he had to do. He raised a hand towards the sky, and it turned dark and stormy. The lightning struck, and Nimueh's cries could be heard as it hit her. The warlock only looked away when the light became too bright for his eyes and shielded them. When he looked back, Nimueh was gone.

He ran to his friend, the man who had been like a father to him. "Gaius!" He cried, cradling the man in his arms. "Gaius! Gaius!"

The rain began to pour down from the sky. "No!" Merlin cried, fearing that Gaius had perished.

"Merlin…" The old man eventually whispered.

Merlin could not believe it when he had heard him. "Gaius? Gaius, you're alive!" He cried with joy.

"What did you do?" Gaius asked him, opening his eyes and looking at him through the rain that was soaking them.

"Nimueh's dead. The balance of the world has been restored." Merlin told him happily.

"You amaze me. You've mastered the power of life and death itself. We'll make a great warlock of you yet."

"So you believe in me now?" There was a slight grin on his face as he spoke.

"Well, I would do if… if you could stop this blasted rain." The old man complained before the both began to laugh.

"_You've done it, Merlin. One less threat against Arthur and Camelot. I'm proud of you."_ Lillian called to him.

"_I never would have been able to do it without you. I felt your magic, your strength. If you had not been with me, I never would have been able to do it."_

"_Merlin, I did nothing. I stayed with you, but the power of what you did was all your own. Now, I shall see you both when you return. We need to talk."_ She told him, knowing that she now had a lot of explaining to do.

"_Have you spoken to Arthur yet? You do know he is alive?"_

"_I know he is alive, but I haven't spoken to him yet. He still believes that I am sleeping."_ Merlin laughed a little, he wished he could see the look on the prince's face when she finally woke up. And he hoped that Arthur would do what he said.

"Lily…" Arthur said, letting out a sigh. He had not left her, just as he said. He had been left in peace with her, keeping hold of her cold hand as she lay in his bed. "I can't lose you, Lily. You always have so much faith in me, more than anyone else." He told her. "And when you wake up, I'm going to tell you."

He reached out his other hand and placed it against her cheek. "When I say you mean the world to me, I mean you are my world. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am, the person you know I can be. Without you, I see little reason left to live."

"Stop being so dramatic. You're such a girl, Arthur." Lillian mumbled, making the prince jump out of his skin. He just looked at her in shock, not knowing if she had actually spoken or if he had imagined it. "Are you going to sulk now? Because I called you a girl?" She asked him, still keeping her eyes closed.

"Lillian?"

"No, I'm Merlin." She said, holding back a laugh. She still felt rather weak, but she knew her strength would come back to her. In the end, it had been Nimueh who had paid the price for Arthur to live.

"Well then, Merlin, I need you to muck out the stables, sharpen my sword, polish my armour and my dogs need walking." Arthur told her with a grin on his face.

"Do it yourself, Pendragon." As soon as she had said that, he knew in an instant that she was gong to be just fine.

"Lillian, there is something I have to tell you." She didn't like the seriousness of his voice, she was alive when she didn't expect to be, and because of that, she had said a few things that should have been kept hidden.

"No. No talking. I need to rest, and so do you." She pulled in his arm, forcing him further onto the bed.

Arthur took the hint and lay down beside her. After everything that had happened, he was going to do anything to make her happy. And if she wanted him to be next to her while she slept, he was going to be there for her.

"Don't go getting any ideas about not waking up again." He warned her seriously.

If Lillian could have rolled her eyes with them tightly shut, she would have. "Yes, sire. Whatever you say." She said, shifting a little closer to him and getting more comfortable.

The prince noticed that the closer she got to him, the warmer she seemed to be, and the more the colour returned to her cheeks. She was looking a lot better, and he was hoping with all his heart that she was not going to die and leave him any time soon.

He wrapped his good arm around her and held her tightly, never wanting to let her go. He could see that she had already fallen sleep. Her breathing was gentle but constant, and there was a pink tint on her cheeks. Arthur knew, that the moment she woke up again, he would tell her. Merlin had been right, they were meant to be together but they were both too stubborn and too scared to admit it.

As the day began to pass, Uther came to visit. He was surprised to see his son and the princess so close, but he expected nothing less. "How is she, Arthur?" He asked him quietly, not wanting to disturb Lillian.

"I believe she is going to live. She woke up, mocked me, and fell back to sleep." He told his father, a smile stretching across his face.

Uther let out a sigh of relief. The past few days had been torture for him. He thought he was going to lose his only son, and have to watch his death break Lillian. Then the tables turned, and it was Lillian who was close to death and Arthur who would break from losing her. The king did not wish to see either of them dead, he cared about both of them. As far as he was concerned, Lillian was like family.

"It is a relief to know you are both alive. Once you have both recovered, I believe a celebration is in order. And maybe you should accompany Lillian to Rolana, she needs to visit her brother soon." The king told him.

Arthur just looked at his father, it wasn't like him to be so kind and thoughtful in the way he was now being. "I would be honoured to accompany Lillian to Rolana. But are you sure it would be wise for me to be away from Camelot for so long?"

Uther just smiled at him. "Yes. You both need to take some time away. So much has happened, it will do you some good."

"Thank you, father." Arthur didn't know what else to say. He had honestly never expected something like that to come from his father's mouth.

"Now, get some rest, Arthur. You have both had a very tough time and need to regain your strength." Uther told him before leaving the room.

He done as he was told and let himself finally fall asleep. When he woke up, he saw a pair of green eyes staring at him. "So nice of you to join us, Arthur." Lillian said, a smirk on her face.

"How long have you been awake for?" He asked groggily.

She shrugged her shoulders at him. "A while. And before you ask, I'm feeling a lot better. Whatever was wrong with me, has passed." She told him, knowing what his next question was going to be.

"I was scared I was going to lose you. I couldn't wake you up, you were so pale and cold." He told her, reaching over to her and placing a hand against her warm cheek.

"Well, as you can see, I am no longer cold or pale. But I am rather hungry." She told him, just as the door opened and Merlin came in. "And that would be our dinner." She told him, throwing the covers off herself and going over to the table where Merlin was setting down the plates.

"I thought you might both be hungry. Neither of you have eaten in days, especially you, Lillian." Merlin told her, giving her a smile. He was glad everything was over with, no one he cared about had died. But he knew that he would never forgive Kilgharrah for what he done.

"I've had better things to do than eat, Merlin." She told him, sitting down and waiting for Arthur to drag himself out of the bed. _"I promise we will talk tomorrow. I know you probably have a lot of questions and you have the right to know everything." _She told him. Merlin just nodded at her.

"Will there be anything else, My Lady?" He asked her, getting a strange look from Arthur.

"That will be all, Merlin. Thank you." He bowed at her before slipping back out of the room.

"What was that all about?" The prince asked as he sat down with her.

"What was what all about?" She asked, not looking up from her food.

"You and Merlin. I've never seen him be so formal with you before."

"He may be a little annoyed with me. I did say some rather terrible things to him when I found out what had happened to you. I blamed him for it all." She admitted, knowing that it was half the truth. Merlin was annoyed with her, but because she had kept something from him, just as the dragon had.

"Well, I'm sure he will get over it." Arthur told her, starting on his dinner.

They both sat and ate their food in silence, relieved that the other was alive and well. Lillian was rather worried about what the prince remembered about her talking to her, if he remembered it at all, but she was too scared to bring it up. She had been completely honest with him, expecting to never see him again, things really had not gone how she planned.

"Lily, is something wrong?" Arthur finally asked her, noticing that she was in a world of her own and constantly staring into space.

"No, of course not. Everything's fine." She told him, putting on the best smile she could manage for him.

"Lillian, there's something we need to talk about." He told her in a very serious tone, and she really didn't like that one bit.

"Oh? And what might that be?" She asked him, trying to keep herself as calm as she could.

"I thought I was going to lose you again, Lily. And it scared me, the only other time I had been so scare was when you had been poisoned." He told her, trying to keep himself together and just get on and say what he want to.

"Now you know how I feel every time you go out and try to be the hero." Lillian could feel her nerves rising, she was petrified of what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry I always make you feel that way. I truly am."

She let out a sigh. "It's who you are, Arthur. And honestly, I wouldn't want you any other way."

There was a small smile creeping across his face from her comment. "Good to know. But Lily, there really is something I need to tell you."

She felt her stomach knot, the fear and dread filling her up. Whatever he wanted to say, she was sure she didn't want to hear it. "That you're going to stop being so arrogant and pig headed all the time?" She asked him, trying to change the topic of conversation.

"Is that how you are always going to see me?" There was a hurt look on his face now, and it just made Lillian feel even worse.

"Of course not. You know I think you're the bravest man I have ever known. And I know you are kind and caring. You care for everyone who lives in Camelot, and even those who do not. You're willing to help anyone if you can." She told him.

"And I'd do anything for you, Lillian." He told her, getting ready to take the plunge and tell her the truth.

"But I would never want you to, Arthur. I never want you to put yourself in danger for me, is that understood? You are the only heir to Camelot, you have to live and be the greatest king ever." She told him.

"Lily, I would willingly give my life for you."

She glared at him. "Don't you dare say that, Arthur Pendragon. Your life is more important than mine." Lillian spat at him.

"And why not? You have already told me how you would die for me. Why am I not allowed to do the same for you?" He yelled.

"Because my life is nothing compared to the one you will have. One day you will be King of Camelot, not the Prince. You're destined for greater things. And I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something ever happened to you." She yelled back.

"And I wouldn't be able to live if anything happened to you." Arthur growled. Somehow, their conversation had turned into a full on shouting match, and it seemed neither of them were willing to back down.

"Of course you would. You mourn, but you live. The world doesn't stop when a life is lost."

"It does if it's the person you love." Arthur shouted, louder than before, as he slammed his hands down on the table.

Lillian just looked at him with wide eyes. She had not really been expecting that to happen, she had not wanted him to say that. Because she knew, deep down, that if they could never be together. "I… I think you're still delusional." She finally managed to say to him.

Arthur let out a sigh. He could see that his temped had scared her a little. "No. I'm thinking more clearly than I have for a long time." He told her, trying to calm himself down. "Everything that has happened has opened my eyes, Lily. I finally see what everyone else has seen."

Lillian didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him as well, but she knew, in her heart, that they could never be together. "Arthur…"

"No, listen to me. You have always been there for me, Lily. And you are so much more than a sister to me."

"Arthur, please…" Lillian tried to speak again, but once again the prince cut her off.

"I love you, Lillian. I have done for a long time. When your family left Camelot, it broke my heart, and I didn't think I could carry on. I thought I would never see you again."

"Please, Arthur, I'm begging you not to do this." She pleaded, the tears already forming in her eyes.

"I have to do this. I love you, with all my heart, Lillian. I wouldn't even care if you had magic, because that is how much I love you." He told her, taking her slightly by surprise.

"Arthur, if I had magic, you would have me killed. Do not be so reckless with what you say." She hissed at him. She couldn't believe his words, how could she? The law was clear and firm, if anyone found out, not only would she pay the price for it, but so would Arthur.

The prince looked her straight in the eyes. "Lillian, I would never let any harm come to you."

"Even if I had magic?" She asked him before she could stop herself. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her that time.

He didn't take his eyes away from hers as he reached forward and took both of her hands in his own. "Even if you had magic. It wouldn't change anything, because I know you, Lillian. You're not evil, it just isn't possible for you to be evil."

She thought his words over. Could he really still care for her if he knew the truth? No, of course not. She didn't just have magic, she wasn't a sorceress, she was a High Priestess of the Old Religion. She would be seen as an even more dangerous threat to Camelot and the rest of the five kingdoms.

"It could never work." She whispered. "We can never be together, Arthur."

He frowned at her. "Why not? Are you telling me you do have magic?"

"No, I'm not telling you I have magic. I'm telling you that we can never be together. No matter…" She took a deep breath. "No matter how much…" She was trying so hard to keep herself together, but she knew she was failing.

"Lily, what is it?"

"Just because you love someone, doesn't mean that you are going to be with that person for the rest of your life. We have a duty, to our kingdoms. I know, that one day, I shall be married to benefit Rolana. Your father expects the same from you." She told him, holding back the tears and trying to stay calm.

"What are you trying to say?" Arthur asked her, his face full of confusion.

She let out a sigh. "Our duty is to our kingdoms, not to our hearts. I will love you forever, Arthur, but we can never be together." She told him, pulling her hands away from his and rushing out of the room.

By the time he had realised what she had said and what had happened, she had already locked herself in her chamber. Arthur knew that there was no point carrying on trying to talk to her now. He would probably have more luck in the morning. Only he couldn't stop that grin from spreading across his face. She had actually told him that she loved him as well.

* * *

**A/N: Well, a lot of truths have been told. But there are still plenty more to come in the future.**

**Again, I'm sorry for the long wait, but my updates will get better, honest. **

**So, let me know what you thought by leaving a review or sending me a PM. **

**Pippa.**


	23. Overcoming the Awkwardness

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, once again. **

* * *

Lillian had been up all night. Everything just seemed to be falling apart around her. She didn't know whether to be happy about what Arthur had said, or nervous. It was what she had spent all night thinking about, and she was still lost.

"_Lillian, are you okay?"_ Merlin called to her. She had tried to block as many of her thoughts and worries from him as she could, but she knew some of them would have slipped through.

"_I'm fine, Merlin. What has Arthur got you doing today?"_ She had a feeling that the prince was going to be in a pretty bad mood today, with Merlin being on the receiving end of it.

"_Cleaning his armour. He was in a bit of a weird mood this morning." _He admitted

Lillian frowned. _"What do you mean by weird, exactly?"_

"_Well, one minute he was fine, then he just snapped. He gave me some chores and then he seemed fine again. He was definitely having mood swings." _He told her.

She let out a sigh, Arthur was in that type of mood because of her. _"We still need to talk, Merlin. I have a lot of explaining to do to both you and Gaius. But I don't want to run into Arthur. Right now, he is the last person I want to see." _

Straight away, Merlin knew something had happened with the pair. It all started falling into place now. _"He told you didn't he?"_ He asked her.

"_Yes. And I told him we could never be together, because it's the truth. We can't be together, I'm a High Priestess." _And Lillian hated it. She wished she didn't have magic, that she wasn't born that way, but there was nothing that could change it.

"_You need to stop worrying."_ Merlin told her, just hoping that she would calm down. _"Let me know when you feel up to talking."_

"_Thanks, Merlin. I guess I need to sort my head out before answering all the questions you and Gaius have for me."_ Lillian said. It was true, nothing made sense to her at the moment.

She threw herself back on her bed, staring at the canopy. Her life had changed so much. She had lost her parents, finally made peace with her brother and had been reunited with her best friend. But now she knew it was all going to change again.

Since coming to Camelot she had seen what it truly means to be a royal, the hard work that is put in to keeping the people safe and happy. Sure she had lived in a small village, but she was still treated like a princess by her parents. They had spoiled her, given her everything she wanted. She would give everything to have them back with her now.

She knew she had started to change, but it was for the better. She had grown, matured. She thought more of others now before she thought of herself. Why else would she have been willing to give up her own life so easily for that of Arthur, and Merlin?

Without realising it, a few tears escaped from her eyes just as someone knocked gently on the door. With a heavy sigh Lillian pulled herself off her bed and over to the door. She didn't even bother to ask who it was before opening the door, it didn't even occur to her to ask.

She pulled the door open and saw Arthur standing there. "Is there something I can do for you, Arthur?" She asked, doing her best to avoid looking at him.

"Lillian, we need to talk." He told her quietly, understanding that she was still upset over what had happened the night before.

"Arthur, there is nothing to talk about." She told him, really not in the mood to talk any more.

"Please, Lillian. I want us to talk about this. We can't leave things like this." Arthur said, hoping that she would listen to him.

"There really is nothing to talk about. Everything was said last night." She really just wanted to be left alone so that she could think everything through.

Arthur let out a sigh. He knew how stubborn she could be, but he wasn't going to give up. "We have to discuss your trip to Rolana. My father expects us to be leaving within a week."

Lillian finally decided to look at him. "You're coming as well?" She asked nervously.

"Of course, my father has insisted I accompany you."

She let out a sigh. "You better come in then." She said, stepping away from the door and sitting down at the table. She was still feeling nervous, and completely confused.

The Prince entered the room and sat down at the table opposite her. "My father thought that it was time you went to visit your brother, especially after everything that has happened." He told her, getting straight to the point. "A feast is being held tonight, I thought we would leave in two days' time."

"That's fine." Lillian said quietly.

"Would you… accompany me to the feast tonight?" He was pretty sure that she was going to say no, considering what happened last night.

She swallowed the lump that seemed to be stuck in her throat. "Yes." Her word came out as a whisper, but he still heard it.

"Lily, about last night…"

"Can we please not do this, Arthur?" She asked him, it was the last thing she wanted to talk about. She had been thinking about it nonstop as it was.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you last night. But I needed to be honest with you, I needed to tell you the truth."

"It's fine, forget it." Lillian told him, rubbing her head a little.

Arthur frowned at her, he didn't expect her to be so calm. "Are you alright, Lily?"

"I'm just tired. I didn't really manage to get any sleep last night." She told him.

He completely understood, he hadn't been able to sleep either. He just kept replying what she had said over and over in his mind. She had admitted that she loved him, but he wondered why she was so adamant that they could never be together. "Did you mean what you said last night?"

She hesitated, of course she meant it, she meant all of it. "Yes."

"Then why can we never be together?" He was staying calm, hoping that she would open up and tell him exactly what it was that was bothering her so much.

"There is so much that you don't know about me, Arthur. I'm not the same person you grew up with. I've changed since then."

"I know. You're more beautiful now. And I can see how much compassion you have for others now. You are, however, even more stubborn than before." He pointed out to her, a small smile on his face.

"No, it's more than that. And I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. I'm keeping secrets from you, how can you be with someone who you know is keeping things from you?" Arthur knew that she was being completely honest with him.

He reached over the table and took a hold of one of her hands. "Then I'll wait." Immediately she looked up at him, surprised by what he was saying to her. "I will wait until the time when you can tell me everything. I would wait forever for you, Lily."

He could see the tears building again in her eyes. "But I don't want you to. What if that time never comes? The time where I can tell you every secret I have. What happens then? It isn't fair, Arthur. You shouldn't have to wait for me. I don't want you to." It was killing her to say it, but she knew she had to. He deserved to be happy, even if it was with someone else.

"I don't want anyone else, Lily. I love you, and that is never going to change." He assured her.

"Only time will tell." She whispered. It was times like this she wanted to tell him everything, come clean about who she really was. She hated lying to him, hiding who she really was and what she could do. But she was so afraid of what was going to happen that she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Come on. You should try to get some rest before tonight." He told her, getting up from his seat and walking around the table to her. "We both should." Arthur held out his hands, which Lillian took.

He helped her up and walked her over to her bed. "I hope that one day you can forgive me, Arthur." Lillian said, sitting down on the side of the bed.

He just looked at her in confusion. "There is nothing to forgive you for."

"One day there will be." She mumbled.

"Lily, you are my best friend. I will always forgive you, no matter what. As I told you last night, I wouldn't care if you had magic. None of that matters to me, it makes no difference to the person I know you to be." She didn't answer him, she just kept gazing at her hands in her lap as she sat there. "Sleep, Lillian." He said, before kissing the top of her head and making his way towards the door.

"Arthur, wait." She called, making him stop and turn to face her. "Would you… would you stay? You're still my best friend, and… and I… I need you." Lillian told him, biting her lower lip slightly. Even after last night, she still felt a lot better when he was around.

He nodded at her, a smile on his face as he walked back over to the bed. He pulled off his boots as Lillian lay down on the bed. Soon he was lying next to her, facing each other as they always did. He reached out a hand and without hesitation Lillian was holding onto it tightly.

"Get some rest now, Lily." He whispered to her, kissing the back of her hand.

It didn't take her long to fall asleep, and Arthur was quick to follow. He had been slightly surprised by her request for him to stay, just as he had been a little shocked by her accepting to go with him to the feast.

It was only when Merlin came knocking lightly on the door that the prince finally woke up. He looked over at Lillian, she looked so peaceful but when he looked closer, he could see there were tears coming from her eyes.

"Is everything alright, sire?" Merlin asked, seeing the worried expressing on Arthur's face.

"I'm worried about Lillian. She has told me that she is keeping secrets, and that is why she is so sure about there never being anything between us." He told his servant, carefully pulling himself away from Lillian and moving off the bed.

"Well, I'm sure whatever it is, she has her reasons." Merlin assured him, knowing exactly why Lillian was being the way she was. "Is there anything you need me to do before the feast tonight?"

"No. But I want you to keep an eye on her tonight. I have seen how much she trusts you, Merlin. And I hope that if she can't talk to me about something, she will talk to you."

"Arthur, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Just don't pressure her about it." Merlin told his master.

"I don't plan to, Merlin. If I did, I would only be pushing her further away. I won't let that happen." He told him, looking back at the sleeping woman. "Make sure she has everything she needs before you leave." Arthur told him, before walking out of the door and back to his own chamber.

Merlin busied himself with some cleaning in Lillian's room. He wanted to wait until she woke up before he left, he wanted to make sure she really was alright. He didn't really have to wait too long until she finally started to stir.

"Merlin, what are you doing here? Haven't you got chores to be doing for Arthur?" She asked him, sitting up on the bed and rubbing her eyes a little.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright. Gaius and I are worried about you." He told her, giving her a concerned look.

"I'm fine, Merlin. A little tired and a little stressed, but apart from that, I'm okay." She told him, hoping that she sounded convincing. "I still owe you an explanation, Merlin."

"No, you really don't. Gaius and I have spoken about it, about you. It all kind of makes sense now, how you always knew so much and why I could always feel the strength of your magic." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile. "It makes sense that you're destined to protect Arthur as well, and why Nimueh wanted your dead."

"And also why she couldn't kill me with that stupid poison." Lillian reminded him. "I hope both of you can forgive me for deceiving you and not telling you the truth. It just wasn't the time for you to know."

"Lillian, it really is fine. Gaius and I both understand. He knows more about the Old Religion than I do, and he said that if you were hiding it, then it had to be for a good reason. There is nothing to forgive you for." Merlin assured her, giving her his best smile.

"Why do you have to be so kind and understanding?" She grumbled, looking through the dresses in her wardrobe.

"_Because I'm the greatest warlock to have ever lived."_ Merlin replied, his smile turning into a smug grin.

"_And I'm a High Priestess, so don't get smug with me, warlock." _Both of them burst out laughing, before Lillian finally settled on a dress for the feast. "Haven't worn this one yet." She said, holding it up. It was blood red in colour, with gold embroidery around the bodice and hem of the skirt.

"You're certainly going to get plenty of attention in that. Where did you get it?" Merlin asked her, looking at the detail on the dress.

"My brother, he brought some things from Rolana for me. This dress was one of them." She told him, carefully setting it down on the bed. "How long have I got until Arthur is going to arrive?"

"Oh, maybe two hours. So you better start thinking about getting ready soon. I better get on with these chores. I'll see you later." He grabbed the basket of washing and left Lillian alone in the room.

Her head was still reeling from everything that had happened. She had never thought things with Arthur would get this complicated, that he honestly felt the same way about her as she did for him. Now it all seemed completely messed up.

She sat herself down in front of her mirror and began the long fight with her hair and preparing for the long evening ahead.

When she was finally ready, she waited patiently for Arthur. Lillian didn't have to wait long for the prince to arrive at her door and escort her down to the great hall where everyone already seemed to be waiting. They walked in utter silence, the only sound being their footsteps and breathing.

"Lillian, is everything alright?" Arthur finally asked her, just as they approached the hall.

She turned and smiled at him. "Everything is fine. Come on, we have a feast to be attending." She tugged on his arm a little and they were soon the main attention of everyone in the hall.

Lillian and Arthur barely spoke throughout the whole of the feast, she spent more time talking with Morgana and he was off with his knights. But neither of them really felt much in the mood to celebrate. They were both feeling rather low and yet couldn't stop the glances at each other.

"Is everything alright, Lillian?" Morgana asked her in concern. She had noticed how distant her friend seemed and was worried about her.

"Everything is fine, Morgana. I'm just feeling a little tired. I could have done without this feast, if I'm honest." She told her.

Morgana frowned at her, she knew there was something more going on. "Have you and Arthur fallen out? You've hardly said two words to each other all night."

"No, we haven't. It's been a tough few days, for all of us. I'm not the only person in his life, he does have other friends." Lillian pointed out. "I feel it is time for me to retire now. Please, excuse me, Morgana."

Lillian stood up and bid goodnight to Uther. He was disappointed that she was leaving the feast so early, but he understood completely. It wasn't until she was halfway to her chamber when she heard rushing footsteps behind her.

"Lillian, is everything okay? Morgana told me you were heading off to bed already." Arthur asked her, as he finally caught up with her.

"I'm tired, Arthur. I just want to get some sleep." She informed him quietly.

If anyone knew her, it was Arthur, and he knew there was more to it. "Lily, you can talk to me, you know that don't you? I'm always here for you."

She nodded at him. "I know. But this isn't something I can talk to you about. I'll be fine, I just really need to get some rest."

"Then talk to Merlin." The Prince told her, shocking her a little. "I know you trust him, and I know you see him as a friend. Please, Lily, if you can't talk to me then at least talk to him. I promise I will not ask him about any of it."

"Arthur…" Lillian let out with a sigh. She already knew she could talk to Merlin, she already had.

"No, Lillian. Please. Whatever it is, talk to him about it, okay?" She just nodded at him a little, not really sure how else to answer him. "Good, now come on. I'll escort you back to your chamber. I admit, I'm glad to be out of there as well."

"Were you not enjoying talking with your knights?" She asked him as they started to walk along the stone corridor.

"They all kept staring at you and talking about you. Even Sir Leon let slip how captivated he was by you tonight." His words made her blush, and she really wished they hadn't.

"So did you not like what they were saying? Would you like to have disagreed with them?" She asked, keeping her focus on where she was walking.

"I didn't like them saying certain things, but I did agree with them. You were stunning in there tonight. You still are now." Arthur told her, his own cheeks burning a little now as well.

"Oh, shut up, Arthur." Lillian said, nudging him with her arm a little as a smile crept onto her face.

They finally stopped when they reached her chamber. "I hope you sleep well tonight, Lily." Arthur said, giving her a hug and kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you. And you as well, Arthur. We have a long journey ahead of us when we leave for Rolana. I want you at your best."

He frowned at her. "I'm always at my best." He protested.

A smiled tugged at her face as Arthur let her go. "And I'll just let you keep thinking that. Good night, Arthur."

"Good night, Lily." He replied, watching her enter her chamber before walking the short distance to his own.

He couldn't help but worry about her. He knew she was keeping secrets, but he really didn't care, because he knew things that he shouldn't.

It didn't take very long for Lillian to fall into a restless sleep. In her dreams she was seeing the Camelot party heading for Rolana. They were only a few hours ride away from her kingdom when they were attack by bandits. The problem was, they were seriously outnumbered, and even Merlin was struggling to keep up with everything.

She was fighting alongside Arthur, both of them protecting each other. He was determined not to let her out of his sight, that was, until she was grabbed by the hair and dragged away from him. Arthur quickly followed, forgetting all about his knights who were still fighting.

Lillian was kneeling on the floor, a blade pressed against her throat. That just sent the Prince into a rage, but before he could reach her, he was knocked to the ground, a sword pointing at his heart.

Lillian screamed, and her eyes burned gold as the man who was attacking Arthur was sent flying through the air. The same thing happened to the man who had been threatening her, the blade dropping to the ground in front of her.

Arthur just stared at her with wide eyes, and Lillian knew he had seen everything. He knew she had magic.

Lillian woke up, tears streaming down her face and her heart pounding in her chest. _"Lillian? What happened? Are you okay?" _Her warlock friend called to her. He had sensed something was wrong.

"_I… I don't know. I had a really, really bad dream. And I hope that it really was just a dream." _She told him, praying that it was not an event that was going to come to pass.

"_I'm sure it was just a dream, Lillian. You've been under a lot of stress. Just forget about it and try to go back to sleep, yeah? And I will see you first thing in the morning."_ Merlin said to her, trying his best to reassure her that everything was fine.

"_Thank you, Merlin."_ She called back to him, before letting out a sigh. She was just about to lie back down when there was a gentle knocking at the door before it creaked open a little.

"Lily? Are you awake?" Arthur called through the gap in the room.

"Yes." She replied, shifting on her bed a little.

"Is everything okay? I thought I heard you scream just now?" He asked her, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

"I was having another bad dream, that's all." Lillian told him as he sat himself down on the bed next to her. "And before you ask, I would rather not talk about it."

Arthur just nodded at her. "Do you want to stay here? Or come with me?"

She weighted up the options. She didn't feel much like being on her own at the moment, but she wasn't sure staying with Arthur was such a good idea. Then again, he was her best friend, and he had always been there when she needed him.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" She asked him quietly, keeping her head down.

There was a small smile on his face when she asked him. "Of course you can. Come on." He took both her hands and led her to his chamber.

He pulled the covers back and watched as Lillian settled down. Once he too was in the bed, they grasped each other's hands tightly. Even after everything, she knew he was always going to be there for her. She wondered how she ever could have been so stupid as to think that he didn't care about her any more.

Lillian managed to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night, and didn't wake up until she felt the bed moving slightly. She opened her eyes to see Arthur getting up. "What time is it?" She mumbled, forcing her eyes open.

"Time for me to get up. I have a training session this morning, and then I need to make sure everything is ready for our departure tomorrow." He told her, before disappearing behind the screen and getting himself changed.

"I guess I had better get up now as well then." Lillian moaned, pulling herself up in the bed and looking over to the window.

"You don't have to. You can stay in bed for as long as you like." Arthur told her has he emerged, fully dressed.

"Can I come and watch you training?" The prince was a little surprised by her request, but happy as well. They hadn't really spent much time together because of everything that had happened, and he had been worried that she was going to start drifting away from him.

"Of course you can. I'll even let you put some of the knights to shame if you want." He told her, a smile on his face.

Lillian gave him a small smile of her own. "I'll get ready and meet you outside then." She jumped off the bed and rushed back to her own chamber.

She knew exactly what she was going to wear if she was allowed to spar. She pulled open a draw and pulled out her chainmail, the one her brother had brought for her. Lillian had no idea how he knew it would fit her, but everything he got her seemed to fit perfectly. Even the long padded shirt fit perfectly.

Irwin had left her with a full set of armour, as well as a sword. It used to belong to their mother, and it had been passed down to her from her father. When he had presented it to her, she didn't know what to say. It was perfectly balanced, and now she was finally going to get the chance to use it.

Once she was ready, she made her way to the training ground. She could already hear Arthur shouting at the knights as she walked. It seemed like he was being rather hard on them, and she was going to make it even worse for them.

As Lillian stepped into view, everyone stopped and looked at her. Even wearing chainmail, she still managed to get everyone attention. "Ah, and here comes our special guest." Arthur said, smiling away at her.

"Sire, my apologies for being so late. I over slept." Lillian said, a little gleam in her eyes.

"You can stay behind when everyone else has finished to make up for it." Arthur told her, letting his smile turn into a grin. "Now, as many of you have seen, Princess Lillian is rather handy with a sword. Who would like to test their skills against her?" All of the knights just stood there frozen.

"Oh, come on boys. How much harm can a girl do to you?" Lillian teased. "If none of you volunteer, then I shall just have to pick a sparring partner for myself, won't I?"

Both the royals stood there waiting, and still no one stepped forward. "Well, it looks like you shall have the pick of the lot, my Lady. Who would you like to put to shame first?" Arthur asked her, feeling very smug that his knights seemed scared to fight her.

"I think I shall enjoy sparring with Sir Leon. He is, after all, one of Camelot's finest." Sir Leon looked at her, he didn't know whether to thank her for the compliment, or run away.

"It would be an honour to spar with you, Princess Lillian." Sir Leon said, bowing to her.

Arthur set the other knights to work and decided to watch Sir Leon and Lillian's little battle. As with what she had done to Arthur, she let Leon attack first. Everything he threw at her either missed or was blocked. In one graceful movement, she knocked the sword from his hand and he fell to the floor.

"Not bad, Sir Leon. But I know you can do better. I have seen you fight, you were going easy on me." Lillian said, holding a hand out and helping him up. "You had plenty of chances to disarm me, and yet you failed to take them. If this was a real battle you would be dead, you cannot miss those openings."

"Lillian is right, you had many chances to win the fight, and yet you hesitated. There is no way you can do that in real life." Arthur told him.

"Yes, sire." Sir Leon said, bowing.

"So, my dear Arthur. Have your own skills improved since our last battle?" She asked him smugly. She had wanted to fight him again for some time now, and this was her best opportunity.

"Oh, so now you challenge me, do you?" He asked her, a grin spreading across his face.

"Unless you're scared?"

Arthur's face fell in an instant. "Let's put an end to this." He said, drawing his sword and stepping towards her.

"_Merlin, where are you? I'm about to kick Arthur's royal backside again."_ Lillian called to her friend.

"_What? Really?"_ He asked in shock. _"I'll be there. Don't knock him down till I'm there."_

"Do you wish to dismiss your knights first, sire? After all, they have already seen me beat you once, would you really like them to see it happen again?" She knew what she was doing, she was winding him up, teasing him.

He just frowned at her. "You seem very confident with yourself, Princess Lillian."

"Are we doing this? Or are you going to keep talking?" That was all Arthur needed to realise that she was ready, and she was serious. Merlin arrived just in time to watch the whole fight.

Their swords clashed. They dodged and they parried. Neither of them we struggling, but neither of them were winning. As with what happened before, a large crowd soon gathered to watch the pair.

"Oh, come on, Arthur. This is getting boring now." Lillian called as they carried on. He charged at her again, and she was quick to block him.

It carried on for almost an hour before both of them started to feel a little exhausted. "Can we not call it a draw?" Arthur asked, wanting it to be over with now.

"Would you let your knights call it a draw? Would you call a draw if you were fighting for your life?" The prince didn't answer her. "That's what I thought."

She knocked his sword out of his hand, and Arthur ended up just tackling her to the ground, sending her own sword flying from her hand. "Now can we call it a draw?" He whispered to her, as he lay on top of her.

"But I have a dagger against your throat. I win." It was only then that he realised that she was holding a small blade against his throat.

Arthur let out a sigh. "Fine, you win." She moved the dagger and tossed it to the side. Clapping and cheering erupted all around them, and yet neither of them moved.

"Arthur, you can get off me now." Lillian managed to whisper. She couldn't help but gaze into the prince's eyes, and it seemed he was gazing into hers as well.

"What?"

"I said you can get off me now. People are staring at us. Move before I make you, Pendragon." She threatened. He quickly got off her and to his feet before helping her up.

"Now those of you who are travelling in the party to Rolana tomorrow, make sure you get plenty of rest. The rest of you, I expect you to keep working in my absence. If I find out you have been slacking, there will be severe punishment for all of you." Several of the knights groaned at him, they had been hoping to have it easy while he was gone.

"I expect at least one of you to be able to last as long as Arthur has against me when we return." Lillian added, making a few of them tense up. Their battle had been long, and they knew none of them could ever last as long as their prince had. She couldn't help but smirk, she knew this as well, and she was enjoying sending a little bit of fear into them.

"That should keep them working hard." Arthur whispered to her.

* * *

**A/N: Again I am sorry for the long wait for this chapter. So, there are going to be a few chapters before we hit series 2. **

**I hope you are all enjoying this so far. I have a few surprises ready to throw at you over the next few chapters. **

**Pippa. **


	24. An Unfolding Destiny

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait my lovely readers. Life seriously got in the way once again. **

* * *

They sun had yet to rise over Camelot and Lillian was already packed and ready to leave. She hadn't slept much the night before, despite being exhausted. She had tried to sleep, but she had the same nightmare she had the other night, the one where Arthur saw her using magic.

She tried to dismiss it as stress, and kept telling herself that it was nothing, that it wasn't going to happen, but she just couldn't shake the fear that it was going to come true.

She was saved from her own thoughts when there was a soft knocking at the door. "Lillian, are you awake yet?" Arthur called quietly.

She wasted no time in getting up from where she was sitting by the window and opening the door for him. "I've been awake for some time already." She told him, moving away from the door and letting him come in.

"I take it you are all ready to go then?" Arthur asked, noticing the packed bags sitting on the floor.

"Yes. Just waiting on everyone else." Lillian let out a sigh and sat herself back down.

The prince frowned. "What's wrong, Lily?"

"Nothing. I didn't sleep too well again last night." She didn't really want to tell him any more than that. She was starting to think that it was a bad idea going at all.

"Nightmares?" Lillian just nodded at him. She was starting to worry that they weren't just nightmares anymore, he was terrified that they were something more. "Why didn't you come to me last night then?" He asked her, worry flooding voice.

"I didn't want to bother you, again. I can't always rely on you to be there for me, Arthur. I have to learn to deal with this on my own." She told him.

"Lily, you never have to do anything on your own. You've got me, and you always will." The prince told her, pulling her in for a hug. "Come on, you can at least have breakfast with me. It's going to be a long journey."

Arthur led her out of the room and into his own chamber where Merlin was actually already busy. He looked like he had been up for hours working away, and knowing Merlin he probably had with the list of things that Arthur had for him to do before they left.

"Good morning, Merlin." Lillian called as she sat down at the table.

"Good morning Princess Lillian, are you looking forward to visiting Rolana?" Merlin asked her, keeping himself busy.

"I am. It will be nice to see my brother again, and my home." She told him as she started munching away on an apple. "I admit I am not looking forward to the long journey."

The warlock frowned at her, and Lillian just gave him a meaningful look. He knew what she had been dreaming about, and he had been trying to reassure her that everything would be fine. But she wasn't so easily convinced.

They sat and ate breakfast in silence while Merlin continued to rush around and make sure that everything was ready. Lillian just kept thinking over what she saw in her dreams again and again. She wanted to believe that they were just that, dreams, but something was telling her it was so much more. That was what was scaring her the most, that they weren't just dreams.

"Lillian?" Arthur called, finally getting her attention. She looked up at him, a blank look on her face. She hadn't been paying attention to anything around her. "Is everything alright?" He asked her, a concerned look on his face.

Lillian forced a smile on her face. "Everything is fine, Arthur. I'm just not feeling all myself today, that's all." She told him, hoping that he would accept it and not saying anything else about it.

He just frowned at her, knowing it was more but also knowing that she wasn't going to tell him about it. "Is there anything you need to do before we leave?" Arthur asked, just wanting her to open up and talk to him.

"I… I may quickly go and see if Morgana is awake. I'll try not to be long." Lillian replied, getting up from where she had been sitting.

The prince just smiled at her. "We won't be leaving without you." She smiled back at him before heading out of the door and walking down the corridor and making her way to Morgana's chamber.

Lillian didn't even have to knock on the door, she was just about to when it opened and she was faced with Gwen. "Good morning, Gwen. Is Morgana awake?" She asked.

"She is, but she had another nightmare last night. I was just about to fetch you, she was screaming your name." Gwen told her quietly.

Lillian was more than just a little worried now. She was fine with Morgana's nightmares, she understood them, but if she was having nightmares about her… well it couldn't lead to anything good. "I will speak with her." She said, as Gwen stepped aside and let her in the room. "Morgana? Is everything okay?"

The dark haired look over at her with blood shot eyes. "Please, Lillian, you can't go. Don't leave today, I'm begging you." She cried as Lillian made her way over to her.

"What happened?" She asked her softly, knowing that it was always difficult for Morgana to talk about her nightmares.

"Please, you can't leave." Morgana pleaded. "If you do, something terrible will happen."

Lillian let out a sigh. "What did you see?"

"There were bandits, and you were hurt." Lillian didn't know what to say. Her own nightmares had been something different to that, something worse than just being hurt. "Please, Lillian, you cannot go."

"Morgana, I have to go. We cannot call off or delay the trip. I promise to be cautious, and do everything I can to stop your dream from coming true." Lillian assured her.

"You don't believe me."

"Of course I believe you, Morgana. What reason do I have not to?" She asked the woman, who was about to break down in tears again. "You have warned me of what is to come, and now I will stop it. Just like all those other times. Every time you have dreamed of Arthur being in danger, of his death, I have not let them come to pass. This is just the same."

Before Morgana had a chance to reply there was a short knocking on the door. "Enter." Lillian called, seeing that Morgana was still rather upset.

"Princess Lillian, we are ready to leave when you are." Merlin said, standing at the door.

She nodded at him before turning back to face her friend. "I promise you, everything will be fine. I'll see you when we return." Lillian said, hugging the woman tightly before leaving with Merlin.

"What was all that about?" He asked as they walked through the castle.

"Morgana had a nightmare, where we were attacked by bandits and I was injured." She whispered to him. "It's somewhat different to the dream that I have been having."

"Then maybe that is all yours was, a dream." He didn't want to admit it, but he was worried. He knew all about her dream, because he had been seeing it as well. Their bond had been growing stronger, and with that came some side effects, such as Lillian unknowingly showing Merlin her nightmares.

"I hope so, Merlin. I really do." She mumbled. They walked the rest of the way in silence, out into the courtyard where everyone was ready and waiting for them.

Arthur was standing by her horse. "Is everything alright, Lillian?" He asked. The prince could tell by the look on her face that all was not well, but he didn't hold much hope of her telling him.

She let out a sigh as she patted the horse. "Morgana has been having more nightmares. I wish there was something more that could be done to help her."

"Lily, you worry too much. There is always something that you are worrying about, whether it be Morgana, the people of Camelot, or the people of Rolana." The prince told her softly. "Come, I think it is about time that we left."

Lillian forced a smile onto her face. "Of course, Arthur. Let's go then." He helped her onto her horse even though they both knew she could have managed on her own.

"We have a long journey ahead of us." Arthur called to the party travelling with them after he had mounted his own horse. "I want everyone to be on the lookout, we cannot afford to let anything happen to Princess Lillian." She rolled her eyes at him as he said that. She knew that it was because he didn't want anything to happen to her.

"Can we please just get a move on now?" Lillian moaned. "Save your speeches till we get to Rolana. I'm sure my brother would love to hear them." There were a few chuckles coming from the men, and Merlin was trying to hold in his laughter.

Arthur just shook his head. "Let's go." He said, pulling on the reins of his horse. He started moving forward and everyone began to follow.

Merlin was riding next to Lillian, while Arthur stayed up front. _"Still thinking about Morgana's dream?"_ He asked her after they had been riding for a few hours.

"_Yes, I can't help but worry about it. Everything she has seen has come to pass, she is a seer. It's made me just a little bit nervous."_ Lillian admitted to him.

"_I'm sure everything will be fine. You're surrounded by knights, and you've got me here as well." _Merlin said, trying to ease her mind a little. _"Not that you really need us, you can take on a whole arm and come out unharmed."_

She bit her lower lip slightly. _"I don't think I could, Merlin. I think I would be too scared."_

His head turned a little as he looked at her. He could see the worried look on her face, and he knew there was so much more troubling her than she would ever say. But what he also knew was that in time she would tell him, as she always did.

A few hours later they finally stopped. It was long past noon and most of the men seemed to be in high spirits. It wasn't very often they got to escort a princess back to her own kingdom, it was like a holiday for them.

Lillian, however, was not feeling as joyous as everyone else, and Arthur had noticed. "Lily, will you please tell me what is wrong?" He asked, sitting down on the log beside her.

"Nothing is wrong, Arthur." She replied, letting out a heavy sigh. Sometimes she wished she didn't have magic, that she wasn't born who she was, but that could never change.

"I know when you are lying to me, and you are doing it right now." He told her softly.

"Please, Arthur. We've been through this already. There are things that I just cannot talk to you about. And please do not tell me to talk to Merlin about them, I do not wish to speak with anyone about them." She told him, trying to keep herself calm. Lillian was starting to just wish he knew everything, and damn the consequences.

"Lily…"

"No, and that is the end of it, Arthur. No more, please." She begged. He just nodded at her, but continued to sit beside her.

"_Lillian, is everything okay?"_ Merlin called to her.

"_Yes, and no. I'm getting tired of Arthur asking questions all the time. I just want to be left alone. The sooner we get to Rolana the better." _She told him. She was so nervous being out in the forest, even if she was with Arthur, Merlin and several knights. The things that she had seen had put her in edge, even more so now that she knew Morgana was having nightmares about her as well.

"_I won't let any thing happen to you, Lillian."_ The warlock assured her. _"And neither will Arthur. He will never let anything happen to you." _

She tried her hardest to believe him, Lillian knew that Arthur and Merlin would both do everything they could to protect her, but her nightmare just wouldn't fade. _"I know. Just like I will never let anything happen to either of you."_

"_We all protect each other."_ Merlin said to her, glancing over at where she was sitting. _"Arthur looks worried."_ He pointed out to her.

"_He's just worrying, that's all. The closer we get to Rolana, the less he will worry."_ She told him. _"I hope."_

Merlin just smiled over at her, before getting on with passing out some food to the knights. They were still all laughing and joking around, enjoying themselves and teasing Merlin. But he was used to it, he'd had worse come at him from the prince many times before.

A little while later and they were off once again, making their way across the land. Everyone still seemed to be in high spirits, probably because nothing awful had happened to them yet. There had been no sightings of any trouble, no bandits, not a thing.

Lillian was still feeling anxious. Nothing had happened, but she just knew something would, and she had to keep on her guard. Although they were still over a days ride away, every little noise she heard made her jump a little. The rustling of the leaves, the breaking of a twig under the horse's hooves, all of it.

By the time they stopped again in the evening to set up camp, Lillian was a nervous wreck. Every little sound made her head turn, and it was worrying Arthur even more. Once again Merlin was cooking for everyone, working hard with the food that he had and the teasing of the knights.

Lillian was sitting over to the side on her own, her hands in her lap as she played with them nervously. He walked over to her, sitting down beside her and placing his hand over hers, getting her attention. "You're making me nervous." He whispered to her, hoping that she would start to relax a little.

"Sorry." She mumbled, holding her hands more tightly in her in her lap.

"You don't have to be sorry, you just have to stop worrying so much. Whatever it is, Lillian, I won't let it happen." That grasped her attention and she quickly looked over at him. "You're scared something is going to happen, but I swear to you, I will never, ever, let anything happen to you."

Lillian let out a sigh. "Arthur, I'm not scared something is going to happen." She told him quietly. "I know something is going to happen. I just don't know when." It was hard for her to admit it, but that was what had been running through her mind the entire journey so far.

He frowned at her a little. "How do you something is going to happen?"

"It's just… a feeling that I have." She mumbled, not daring to tell him the truth.

"Liar." He said, giving her hand a squeeze. As he did she closed her eyes tightly, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Hey, Lily, come on." Arthur said, noticing the tear. "What is it?" His voice was so quiet and soft.

Lillian noticed that Merlin had finished with the cooking and was starting to serve it all up for everyone. The knights were all ready queuing up, pushing and shoving at each other. Merlin just severed up two bowls of the stew he had made and walked over to Arthur and Lillian. "Sire, Princess Lillian." He said, holding out the bowls for them to take.

"Thank you, Merlin." Lillian whispered, taking the bowl from him and holding it tightly in her hands, trying to get them to stop shaking. He just smiled at her as Arthur took his bowl as well.

The two royals sat in silence as they ate, but the prince kept glancing over at Lillian as she did. She was eating slowly, and looked like she was in a world of her own the whole time. Noticing that she was no longer bothering with her food, he took the bowl from her and placed it down on the ground beside him.

"You should probably get some sleep, Lily." He told her, watching her as she kept rubbing her head a little. He could tell that she was exhausted, a mix of not sleeping properly and the anxiety of the journey to Rolana.

"So should you." She muttered, giving him a little nudge.

"Come on." He said, pulling her up by the hands. "The knights are already half asleep, we may as well join them." Lillian followed him and stood there as he made a bed on the ground for her before setting one right next to it.

"Thank you." She mumbled, sitting down on the blanket on the ground.

"I'm sorry it's not much." Arthur said, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"It's fine. There was no point in bringing along more than the basics." She replied, wrapping another blanket around herself. "It would have just taken us even more time."

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked her, brushing a lock of her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. She just nodded at him a little. "Goodnight, Lillian."

"Goodnight, Arthur." She said, pulling the blankets tighter around herself as she lay down on the uncomfortable ground.

"_Goodnight, Lillian."_ Merlin called to her.

"_Goodnight, Merlin. Try not to cause too much trouble during the night."_ She called back to him. It wasn't that she expected him to cause trouble, she just expected trouble to follow them.

Lillian struggled to actually get to sleep that night. She was scared to sleep, because of her nightmares, and she didn't want to keep seeing the same thing. She was still trying to convince herself that they were just that, nightmares and nothing more. She could hear Arthurs light breathing beside her, and it helped her relax and she eventually managed to fall asleep.

Only what she was afraid would happen, happened. She knew that they were only a few hours ride away from her kingdom when they were attacked by bandits. They were seriously outnumbered, Merlin was struggling with his magic, there was just too many of them and there was no way they were going to be able to make it out unscathed.

Lillian was fighting alongside Arthur, both of them protecting each other. He was determined not to let her out of his sight, that was, until she was grabbed by the hair and dragged away from him. Arthur quickly followed, forgetting all about his knights who were still fighting.

Lillian was kneeling on the floor, a blade pressed against her throat. That just sent the Prince into a rage, but before he could reach her, he was knocked to the ground, a sword pointing at his chest.

Lillian screamed, and her eyes burned gold as the man who was attacking Arthur was sent flying through the air. The same thing happened to the man who had been threatening her, the blade dropping to the ground in front of her.

Arthur just stared at her with wide eyes, and Lillian knew he had seen everything. He knew she had magic.

Lillian let out a scream as she woke up, beads of sweat on her forehead. She suddenly felt someone's arms around her, and she panicked, trying to pull away. "Hey, Lily, shush. It's okay, it's fine, you're okay." She recognized the voice as Arthur and immediately stopped her thrashing and instead the tears rolled fiercely down her cheeks. "Come on, it's okay, I'm here, Lily." He whispered to her, pulled her closer towards him.

Arthur held her tightly as she continued to sob into his chest. He had no idea what had caused her to scream and panic like that in her sleep. All he could do was assume that it was another one of her nightmares. The woman who he had always seen to be so strong and confident was just a total wreck, and he had no idea what to do to help her.

It took a few more minutes for her sobbing to stop, but she was still shaking. "What happened, Lily?" He asked her, gently running his hand through her hair.

"N… nothing." Lillian mumbled, not knowing what she should say.

"Lily, stop lying to me. You were screaming and crying. You're still shaking." He was disappointed that she felt she couldn't talk to him, but he knew she had her reasons.

"It was just a nightmare, that's all it was. A nightmare." Lillian managed to whisper to him.

Arthur looked around, some of the knights had stirred a little when she had screamed, but the moment they saw that Arthur was trying to wake her, they paid no more attention to what was going on. The prince was actually relieved with that, he didn't need them to start asking questions or make Lillian feel even more uncomfortable.

"Lily, we both know that's not true. Come with me." He said, pulling her up as he stood. He led her away from where they had set up camp, knowing that she needed to get away from everything if she was to ever calm down.

"Will you tell me what happened?" He asked, feeling that she wasn't shaking as much anymore.

"No, I don't want to." Lillian told him, shaking her head a little.

"Please, Lily, I want you to be able to trust me. What ever it is, I will never judge you. Please, what happened?" Arthur begged.

"We… we were… there were bandits. We were attacked. They… they were…" She was struggling to get her words out. She didn't feel like she could tell him everything, but she could give him something to stop him asking questions. "They were going to kill you."

Arthur let out a sigh. "Lily, that is not going to happen. You know that is never going to happen." He wrapped his arms tightly around her as they sat down on the damp ground. "You worry about so many things, Lillian. It's making you ill."

"It's not making me ill, Arthur."

"You are hardly sleeping anymore, you don't eat as much as you used to, and you just… your not you anymore." He said, letting out a sigh.

"Arthur, I am me. I can't stop the nightmares, there is nothing anyone can do to stop them." She told him, hoping to pass the subject quickly.

The prince didn't really know what to say, because she was right. "Maybe we should head back to Camelot in the morning." He suggested, wondering if that would help her.

"No, we're not going back. We are going to Rolana." She told him quickly. "I just… I just need to get some sleep. I'm fine now, it was just a nightmare."

Arthur knew he was not going to win an argument with her and relented. "Okay. I will be right beside you the whole night. I'm not going anywhere." He assured her, helping her to get up.

They slowly walked back to the camp. Everyone seemed peacefully asleep. The pair of them both made themselves comfortable once more, and Arthur gripped hold of Lillian's hand, kissing the back of it lightly. "I'm here, Lily, and I always will be."

He watched her closely for a short time, confidant that she was peacefully falling asleep before he decided to let sleep take himself over.

What neither of them knew was that Merlin had been waken by her screaming, and had been concerned when he saw the pair disappearing together. _"Hey, Lillian? Are you okay?" _He called to her, knowing that she wasn't as asleep as people would think.

"_I'm fine, Merlin. I just had a nightmare, that's all. Arthur was worrying too much, just like he always does."_ She replied to him.

"_Everything will be fine, Lillian. I promise you."_ Her warlock friend told her.

"_Of course."_ She said, not believe a word of it._ "Goodnight, Merlin."_

She continued to lay there for some time, still too scared to sleep. Just as she thought she was starting to let the darkness take her over, someone called to her in her mind, someone she didn't know.

"_Lily of the Valley, your time is coming. Your time to change the world that we live in. The time is fast approaching where you shall free this land and all it's people. You are our saviour, you will bring Albion a step closer. Your time is coming."_

Her eyes shot open, her breathing slightly laboured. Whoever had spoken to her had scared her. After a moment, her eyes managed to focus and she saw a sleeping Arthur facing her. His hand was still holding onto her own one tightly. She gave a little smile before closing her eyes once more. Whatever that person had said could wait, she needed to talk to Merlin about it first. Yet before she could do that, she really did need to get some sleep.

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**A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Again Im sorry for the long wait for an update, but I hope it was worth it.**

**There are big things coming Lillian's way, but is she going to be able to handle it? Guess you'll have to wait and find out.**

**As always, a massive thank you to everyone who has reviewed and to those who have favourited and followed. You guys are truly awesome.**

**Pippa.**


	25. Fears Lead to Revelations

**A/N: Sorry of there are any spelling and grammar errors, I'm currently waiting for my new glasses so reading is slightly difficult at the moment. **

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Ever since her nightmare that first night, Lillian had not been able to sleep at all. She was just too scared to even close her eyes now. Of course, she had kept this from both Arthur and Merlin, she didn't need them to worry even more than they already were. Lucky enough, they were close to Rolana now, a few hours ride away at the most. They would be there by lunchtime, and for that she was grateful.

Lillian was riding close to Arthur, a few knights taking the lead so that they could stay together with Merlin right behind them. "Only a little further and you will be back in Rolana." Arthur reminded her as they rode along the dirt track.

"Once we are there, I can rest a little more easy." She told him, trying not to let him see that she was still worried something was going to happen.

"This whole journey has taken its toll on you, Lillian. Your brother is not going to be happy when he sees you looking so ill." Arthur informed her. He had noticed how pale she looked, and how she always seemed to be exhausted. The journey from Camelot really had been tough on her.

"I'm sure my brother will understand." Lillian told him, keeping her eyes focused on the path ahead. "What with everything that happened before we even left, it is fair to say that both of us have had a difficult time."

That much was true. The pair had been on a rollercoaster of a ride since her brother left Camelot and returned to his kingdom. Not that her brother knew about everything, she had made sure not to tell him of everything that had happened, just the bare minimum.

"He may understand, but I still do not believe that he will be happy. I have a feeling he will not let you leave Rolana until he is certain that you are ready to leave." Arthur warned her. At least that was what he was hoping her brother would do. She needed the break and the rest. She needed the time to get herself back together and to relax a little.

"We cannot stay here for longer than planned, Arthur. You will be needed back in Camelot soon, and I shall be leaving when you leave, whether my brother likes it or not." Lillian informed him. She was very set against not being left behind in Rolana, she was going to stay with Arthur no matter what her brother said. She still needed her best friend.

"I am sure my father would understand if we had to stay a little longer." The prince told her, doing anything he could to help ease her mind. "We will leave when you are ready, and when your brother thinks you are ready."

"You do know that my brother may decide to never let me leave if that is the case?" She replied, an eyebrow raised. "Any excuse to get me to stay there for a little longer."

Arthur chuckled a little. "Well, I don't really blame him. He hasn't been able to spend much time with you, I would do the same thing."

"Oh, shut up, Arthur." Lillian mumbled to him, trying not to grin. There were times when things seemed rather awkward between them, since everything that had happened. But most of the time, they managed to get along as if nothing had happened. Lillian was happy about that, because he really did mean everything to her, even if she couldn't be completely honest with him.

"Are you going to make me, Princess Lillian?" Arthur asked her, a slight smirk on his face.

"Remember, we are in my kingdom now, we have crossed the board and are now walking the lands of Rolana. I am not afraid to have you thrown in the dungeons the moment we set foot in the city." She threatened. Of course she didn't really mean it, but if Arthur could threaten to toss her in the dungeon, she could do the same to him.

"Oh, is that so, Princess?"

"It is, sire. I am sure you will find it most comfortable in there." She said, keeping her head held high and trying her best not to laugh. Only she could hear her warlock friend snickering behind. "And I'm sure you will find our stocks most delightful, Merlin." She called, making him fall silent straight away.

"You do know that Merlin is my servant?" Arthur called to her.

"Indeed I do, sire. But you do know that you are in my kingdom, and I shall deal with misfits however I see fit." She told him, still with a slight grin on her face.

"You really are enjoying this, aren't you, Lillian?" The prince asked her.

She turned and looked at him. "Whatever do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Being in your kingdom, you having more power here than you do back in Camelot. I'm starting to think that you're a little power mad."

Lillian just gasped at him in mock horror. "Sire, how could you say such a thing? I just wish to make your stay here as enjoyable and pleasant as my stay has been in Camelot."

"You mean a new threat every day?" Arthur said. "Constantly being in danger wherever we go? Being poisoned, threatened, and falling ill?"

"If that is what you want, sire, I am sure it can be arranged. You did bring your crown with you, I hope. I am planning on making you wear it every evening for dinner." She informed him, struggling to contain her laughter.

"Is that so?" He questioned, not knowing if she was actually joking or not.

"It is, sire. While you are in Rolana, I think I shall have a little fun."

Arthur turned and looked at her. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" He wondered.

She just smiled at him. "You shall have to wait and find out, Arthur. I have many surprises planned for you." He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head a little, before turning his eyes back to the path ahead.

They then fell into a comfortable silence and carried on their ride. Lillian was looking around at the landscape, it had been so long since she had last been there, everything seemed different. The land was so green, and seemed to be full of life. She could feel the magic flowing through her from the land, which brought a small smile to her face.

"_See, nothing has happened, Lillian. You were worrying over nothing."_ Merlin called to her a little while later.

But Merlin's reassurance seemed to have jinxed their journey, and the chaos began. A group of 4 burly men appeared in front of the group, smirks on their faces. The knights at the head of the group were quick to dismount and draw their swords, taking their stance to fight the men.

As the first sound of metal clashing rang around the group from Camelot, men charged them from the lining trees and came at them from behind as well. Merlin and Arthur looked horrified at the amount of men they were facing.

"Lillian, get out of here." Arthur called to her, dismounting himself and preparing to fight along side his knights.

"I am not leaving you, Arthur. There are twice as many of them as there are with you and your knights." She said, jumping from her own horse and drawing her sword. "You need all the help you can get."

Before he had a chance to reply, 3 of the man charged at him. The prince was quick to defend himself and let his sword clash against that of the rugged and ugly men who had decided they were easy targets.

"_Merlin, I hope you're pulling your weight."_ Lillian called to him, having to deal with a few of the men herself. They didn't seem to care who they were attack, they seemed to have a goal and that was all they were focusing on.

"_There's too many of them. I can't… I'm trying, Lillian."_ She knew from the panic in his voice that he was trying, but it wasn't easy for him to use magic with so many people around them.

"_Just do what you can, I trust you, Merlin."_ She said, turning her attention back to the man who was charging at her.

She swiftly ducked under his arm and watched as Sir Leon, one of her favourite knights from Camelot, took care of the man. When she looked around, she saw that most of the men were ganging up on Arthur, making it impossible for him to make a full on attack. He constantly had to stay on the defensive.

"Lillian, what are you doing?" Arthur hissed at her, as she backed into him, brandishing her sword at the bandits they were facing.

"Uh, helping?" She replied, taking a swing at the man before her.

"I told you to…"

"Come on, Arthur. When do I ever do what you tell me?" She told him, smirking a little. She never had listened to him, and she probably never would, not when she knew she could do something to help.

"Lillian." He groaned, taking his chance to attack the man who had been constantly putting the pressure on him.

"Oh, shut up, Arthur." She called, rolling her eyes and making sure to defend the prince as much as she could. She knew she had to keep defending him if they had any chance of getting out of this alive.

They were hilariously outnumbered, and even Merlin was struggling to keep up with everything. He could take them all out with just one blow from his magic, as could Lillian, but it would risk him revealing his magic. All he could do was fight as best he could with a sword, and take whatever chance was thrown his way.

"I hope you have a plan, Arthur." Lillian called to him, seeing that the knights were still struggling. The men just didn't seem to want to go down and stay down. "I know we can keep going, but your knights are starting to look a little tired."

"I plan on getting us out of this alive, Lillian." He managed to call back to her after blocking and attacking. He sent the man before him falling to the ground, only for him to be replaced with someone else.

That was when Lillian saw a glint in the eyes of the man standing in front of her and a smirk took over his face. "Well, well, well. Princess Lillian. We really have hit the jackpot." He said, before grabbing her by the hair and dragging her away from the fray.

"Arthur!" She screamed, trying to kick herself free of the man. She was doing her best not to let the tears that were building in her eyes fall. Her nightmare was coming true, at least that was what it looked like to her. She was desperate for this to have a different outcome to what she had seen, but Lillian was doubtful.

"We heard you were coming home, Princess. Aren't you lucky that we met you first." The man snarled at her.

Lillian rolled her eyes. "Yes, very lucky. Just what I wanted to happen today, be caught by some stinking bandits." She spat. Her comment resulted with a hand making hard contact with the side of her face. "I'm not scared of you. I've been through more than you can ever imagine." She told him, preparing herself to use her magic while they were alone.

"Lily!" Arthur shouted, coming into view just before Lillian had a chance to do anything.

The man quickly shoved her to her knees and Lillian felt a blade being pressed against her throat. She let out a shaky breath, as she watched Arthur freeze where he stood.

"Let her go." He growled, holding his sword out before him, ready to take the man on. He couldn't take his eyes from Lillian, he could see the fear in her eyes.

The man just snarled at him. "Why don't you make me, pretty boy?" He said, before another man tackled the prince to the ground, knocking his sword from his hand.

Lillian's heart stopped when she saw the man pointing his sword at Arthur's chest. Everything was playing out how she had seen it, and she was scared. "Let him go. Please." She whispered, hoping that she could make a bargain with them. "Let him go and I won't fight you."

"Lillian! What are you doing?" Arthur shouted, but not daring to move just yet.

"Please." She said once more, not taking her eyes away from Arthurs.

The man looked between the pair. "Oh, so this is Prince Arthur of Camelot?" The man asked. "Kill him."

"No!" Lillian screamed. "Arthur!" Suddenly her eyes burned a bright gold and the man who was holding his sword against Arthur's chest was thrown backwards through the air. She fell forward as the man who had been holding her hair and a blade against her throat was also throw in the air, his head hitting a tree.

Lillian landed on her hands, the tears streaming down her face as she slowly raised her head and looked up at Arthur. He was still there, on the ground, staring at her with wide eyes. "Arthur… I'm so sorry." She whispered, knowing that he was shocked by what he had just seen.

"_Merlin, I'm sorry."_ She called to her warlock friend, before pushing herself up from the ground. The prince was still there on the ground watching her, his eyes not leaving hers.

"_Lillian? What's happened, what's wrong?" _Merlin called back to her, having no idea what had just happened.

"_Look after Arthur."_ She said, before a fresh wave of tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Arthur." She whispered to him one last time, before turning and running away from him as fast as her feet could carry her.

She knew that she needed to get away from her best friend and the knights. She knew that with the leader of the group of bandits dead, the knights could easily handle the rest. Lillian just needed to get to somewhere safe, where she couldn't be persecuted for having magic.

Her nightmare had come true, she had revealed her magic to her best friend, the Prince of Camelot, the worse thing that she could ever do. She was glad that she was so close to her home now, she knew she would be safe the moment she was within the walls of the castle, so that was her destination.

While Lillian was running faster than she could ever remember, Arthur was still trying to get over the initial shock of what he had just seen.

"Arthur?" He heard a familiar voice call. "Arthur? Lillian!" Merlin called once more, before appearing between the trees. "Arthur, what happened? Where's Lillian?" He asked, looking around and not seeing her.

"The bandits, Lillian took care of them." He said quietly. "I… I told her to run before more came. They recognised her as the Princess, I had to make sure she ran."

Merlin, however, wasn't easily convinced. He knew something had been wrong from the way Lillian had spoken to him, Arthur hadn't told her to run. Something more serious had happened, but he had a feeling that the prince was not going to tell him what it was.

"She's heading for the city?" Merlin asked, hoping that was in fact the case. He had been trying to speak to her, but she wasn't replying to him.

"Uh, yes." Arthur told him, getting himself off the ground and reclaiming his discarded sword. "Is anyone hurt?"

The young warlock shook his head. "The knights are fine, Arthur. We should get moving, we may be able to catch up with Lillian."

"Yes, of course." Arthur said, still in a slight daze. His mind was replying everything over and over in his mind, the way her eyes a turned gold, how the bandits had been thrown through the air by an invisible force. "We should hurry, there may be others out there and Lillian is on her own now."

Only they would never catch up with Lillian, as she had decided to use her magic and found herself just a short walk from the city. She looked up and saw the high walls surrounding her old home, the castle where she had only spent a few years living in before moving on to Camelot with her parents.

In the distance she could see the blue and gold colours of her kingdom, a patrol was heading her way and she couldn't help but let out a sigh. She carried on walking, at as quick pace, wanting to just get inside and to feel somewhat safe.

The moment the patrol spotted her, one of them dismounted and cautiously approached her. There seemed to be a frown on his face, and he seemed a little unsure of Lillian. "My Lady, why are you out here alone?" He finally asked her.

Lillian let out a sigh. "My travelling part was attack by bandits. I was forced to run. We have travelled from Camelot."

The man's eyes widened. "Princess Lillian." He said, before bowing down to her.

"Please, the rest of my group were attacked, I do not know if they…" She stopped to take a deep breath. "Prince Arthur was travelling with me, I could never forgive myself if anything has happened to him."

The man nodded to her before turning to the other man. "Escort the Princess to the castle. I'll follow the path. Send out a patrol as soon as you can."

After being pretty much ordered to get on the horse that the guard had dismounted, she ended up sitting atop it and being led into the city. "I can make my own way from here." She said, grabbing a hold of the reins and galloping through the streets of the city and towards the castle, leaving the poor guard standing there looking bemused.

It would appear that her brother had seen her coming, as he was down in the courtyard waiting for her. "Lillian, what happened? Where is Prince Arthur?" He asked her, the worry flooding through him as he helped her down from the horse.

"We were attacked by bandits." She told him, trying to stop herself from breaking down in tears. "He… uh… Arthur, he…"

"Lils?" Irwin said, even more concerned now. "What happened?"

"I can't… I just… I can't." She whispered, not knowing how to explain to her brother exactly what had happened.

"Sir Dale, gather some knights. Follow the path and find the rest of the travelling party. You are looking for the knights from Camelot and their Prince. Now hurry." Irwin ordered, before ushering his sister inside the castle.

Lillian walked through the castle with her head down. She was still struggling to control her emotions and she couldn't stop worrying about Arthur. She hated herself for running away from him, but she had been too scared to face him.

Irwin let her to a chamber, holding the door open for her and letting her step inside. The colours of the kingdom filled the room, but Lillian was paying no attention to any of that. "Lillian, what happened?" He asked her, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to where he had sat herself.

"We were attacked by bandits this morning." She told him.

"Lils, what else? What happened with the bandits?" Her brother asked, trying to understand why she had arrived on her own and in such a state.

"I had to do it. If I didn't they were going to kill him. There was no other way, I had to." She whispered, still not fully explaining what had really happened.

He frowned at her. "Lillian, you're going to have to tell me more than that. What did you have to do?"

"I used magic, and Arthur saw." She told him, keeping her head down and letting the tears stream down her cheeks.

"Are you sure he saw you?" Irwin asked her, realising just how serious the situation was now.

She nodded slightly. "Of course he did. I used magic right in front of him. I sent two men flying through the air in front of him. Arthur saw, he knows I have magic."

Irwin let out a sigh. "Did he tell you to run, or did you run from panic?"

"Panic." She whispered to him. "I'm sorry, Irwin. I know this will put everything you have worked for between Uther and Camelot at risk. There really was no other way. They were about to kill him, I had a blade pressed to my throat, I didn't know what else to do."

"Hey, it's okay, Lils." He said, wrapping his arms around her. "I know you wouldn't have done it if it wasn't the only option. You're safe here, don't worry."

"I'm so sorry." She whispered once more, before breaking down in complete tears. She just couldn't hold it any longer and all the stress and worry came flood out of her.

"Don't be sorry, Lillian. You done what had to be done, you can't go back and change it now. I will deal with Prince Arthur, and his father. You're safe here." He assured her, knowing that she would now be worrying about so many more things.

"They're going to want to see me dead, Irwin. I lied to them, Arthur is going to hate me, he will never want to speak with me ever again."

"Calm down, Lils, you do not know that. I've sent some of our best knights out to meet them. I am sure everyone is fine and when they get here, we can find out exactly what Arthur saw." He assured her, wishing that she would at least stop shaking. "Get some rest, Lillian. I'll come and wake you myself when there is news." He said, before kissing the top of her head and leaving her along in the room.

Lillian threw herself face down on the bed, burying her face in the soft pillows. This was not how she had imagined her return to Rolana would be. She had been trying so hard to convince herself that her nightmare was just that, but it had come to pass, and now she would lose Arthur. She would lose her best friend, the man that she loved, and all because she was born with magic.

In the end, she did eventually cry herself to sleep. But her dream was full of images of Arthur, of how much he hated her, how he could no longer trust her and that he wished she was dead. That was what caused her to sharply wake up, and the tears started flowing once more.

As she sat there wiping away the wetness from her cheeks, there came a light knocking at her door before a familiar voiced called to her. "Lillian? Are you awake?"

She dragged herself off the bed and over to the door, opening it slightly to reveal a very worried looking dark haired man. "Merlin… I'm sorry." She said, unable to look at him.

The warlock didn't say anything to her, he just gently pushed her back into the room before embracing her in a friendly hug. "We were worried about you, Lillian. Arthur couldn't tell us where you were, and you wouldn't answer me."

"I'm so sorry, Merlin. I didn't know what else to do." Lillian told him, pulling away from his embrace. "It's just… The way Arthur was looking at me… I couldn't…"

"Lillian, what happened? Arthur just told us that you escaped from the bandits and told you to run." Merlin told her, wondering what her version of events would be.

She lifted her head up, letting her red eyes meet that of her friends. "Arthur saw me use magic. He knows." She told him, holding back the sob in her throat. Everything had been turned upside down in her life now, and she had no idea how she was going to deal with it. She was never going to be able to return to Camelot now, if she did, she would be dead.

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**A/N: Tada! I know, I've left it and you're all going to want to murder me in the most slow and painful way you can think. **

**The next chapter is actually ready, so I promise you won't have to wait long for it. And I promise to keep this A/N short. **

**Pippa.**


	26. Encountering the Truth

Arthur sat in the great hall of the castle of Rolana, surrounded by his knights, and his most trusted friends. Only there was one person missing from the scene. Lillian.

"I am afraid Princess Lillian will not be joining us tonight." King Irwin announced to everyone, causing a few people to whisper. "The events from the journey has exhausted her and so she is resting." The knights from Camelot could understand that. She had been nervous the whole trip and then been attacked just hours away from her home. "I welcome Prince Arthur and his knights from Camelot to Rolana, and thank them all for bringing our Princess here safely. Now, let the feast begin."

Straight away the chatting started, as did the passing of food. Irwin had made sure to make it a magnificent feast for his guests, one that he hoped they would all enjoy. Even Merlin was sitting as a guest, and not working the table like he usually did. Irwin had insisted on this, on making him a greater part of the celebration, knowing that he was a good friend to Lillian.

"I do hope Princess Lillian is alright, sire." Arthur said, speaking about her for the first time since they had arrived. He hadn't asked about Lillian, the knights that met them told them all straight away that she was safe. He had been relieved to hear that, he had been so worried about her when she had just run off.

"I believe the trip here has taken its toll on her. When she arrived she was very distressed. I just hope that nothing serious comes from all of this." Irwin told him. He was going to gently try and find out what Arthur knew, with the small chance that he didn't see Lillian using her magic.

"She was very nervous for the best part of the journey here, including her having nightmares." The Prince of Camelot admitted. "She was not sleeping well, nor eating properly. It is no surprise that she is feeling so exhausted." Arthur didn't want to admit it to anyone, but he was very worried about her. The way she had just disappeared by running into the forest during the bandit attack seemed very unlike her.

"Well, a good nights rest and plenty of food should help to get her back to good health. Now come, Arthur, this is meant to be a celebration." Irwin told him, clapping him on the shoulder. He wasn't going to push at the prince just yet, he had to wait till the opportune moment.

The feast passed by rather pleasantly, although everyone apart from Arthur had really enjoyed themselves. He had been spending too much time thinking about Lillian and if she really was all right. Since they had arrived he hadn't seen her at all, and that made him worry even more.

As he looked up, he noticed one of the servants whispering to Merlin, and he left the room a moment later. Arthur was curious, his servant had just left the feast without even telling him. He wanted to follow him, but he knew now wasn't the time.

He sat there and tried to enjoy himself as much as he could, but his mind really was somewhere else. He didn't know whether he wanted to find Lillian, or get away as fast as he could. Arthur was certainly feeling confused and he really had no idea of what he should be doing.

Merlin had been a little worried when one of the servants came to speak with him. Lillian had asked to see him, but for neither of them to tell anyone about it. He approached the same room he had visited her in earlier that day and gently knocked on the door.

A few moments later Lillian stood there, looking a lot worse than the last time he had seen her. "Lillian, is everything okay?" He asked, closing the door as she walked back over to the bed.

"Has Arthur said anything?" She asked him nervously.

"No, he's been rather quiet." Merlin told her, going and sitting down at the table. "What are you going to do, Lillian?"

She let out a sigh. "I really don't know. As long as I stay in Rolana, he can't do anything to me, but the moment he tells his father, war will break out." That was what she had been worrying about the most, Uther finding out and declaring war on Rolana.

"Maybe you should just try talking to him. I know he is worried about you." Merlin told her, trying to get her to see sense and to actually go and confront Arthur about what had happened.

Lillian turned and looked at him with a sad look on her face. "He isn't worried about me, just how his father is going to react when he finds out. Uther will not be happy when he finds out."

"You can't think like that, Lillian." Merlin told her, getting up from where he was sitting and walking over to the bed. "You know he cares about you, of course he is worried about you."

"Not anymore, Merlin. The one thing he could never find out about me has come to light, there is no going back from this one." She told him. Lillian knew that it really was the end for her and Arthur, everything that they had was now gone, and there was no way to get any of it back. Ever.

Merlin just let out a sigh, knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere with talking to her while she was in such a mess. "Get some sleep, Lillian. If you want to talk or anything then just call for me, okay?" he told her, slowly walking over towards the door.

"Thank you, Merlin. And please, just… keep an eye on Arthur for me. I don't know if he will do anything stupid or not, and I don't want anything to happen to him." She told him, hoping with everything she had that Arthur would soon leave and not mention her or her magic ever again.

As Merlin walked down the dimly lit stone corridor, Arthur was walking past at the other end. The moment he saw the shape of his servant he stopped and watched him, wondering what on earth he could have been doing there in the first place.

Arthur waited until he was gone before h slowly walked down the corridor himself. It was one he hadn't been down, his own chamber was situated more on the other side of the castle, along with his knights and the servant he had just seen.

The prince could see nothing special about corridor, it looked just like all the others in the castle. Except there seemed to be just one door, the other side full of windows that looked over Rolana. Obviously it made him curious as to whose room it was, and why Merlin had been down there in the first place.

He took a step closer to the door and heard something being thrown across the room. It was clear that whoever was in there, didn't seem to be in a very good mood, helping him to make the decision to get back to his own chamber and forget about it. He would just have words with his servant to find out what he was doing.

Before he had the chance to turn around, the door was pulled open and a woman wearing a simple blue dress that flowed behind her at the back with gold embroidery around the bodice. He could feel his chest pounding as he waited for the woman to turn around and see him. He already knew who she was, but she had yet to realised he was there.

The woman turned, and went to walk in the direction of where Arthur was standing but stopped after taking only one step. The prince could feel a lump in his throat now as well. "Lily…" He whispered, looking at her red eyes and wet cheeks. It was clear that she had been crying.

Lillian's eyes were wide as well as red as she looked back at him. "Ar… Arthur." She managed to whisper, backing away from him a little.

"Lily, are you okay?" He asked, taking a step towards her. She just shook her head at him as she backed up even further. "Lily, what's wrong?" Once more he took a step forward, needing to check that she was okay.

Only she didn't stay still long enough for him to reach her, as she turned and ran along the corridor. "Lillian, wait!" He called, before taking off after her.

Lillian had an advantage, this was her home, her castle. She knew every corridor and every hidden passage. If she didn't want Arthur to find her, then he was not going to find her. As she ran, she could hear him calling after her, his boots pounding on the stone floor as he followed her.

She wasn't sure she could face him yet, it was just too soon. There was so much she still needed to sort through in her own mind, dealing with the prince was not something she could handle yet. The only reason she had left her chamber was to take a walk to calm down, not to walk straight into the last person she wanted to see and then run from them.

"Lily, please." Arthur cried, following her as she charged down a stone staircase. He was doing well to keep up with her, but he knew it wouldn't be long until she was out of his sight. All he wanted to do was speak with her, but she just kept on running.

But she didn't stop, she kept on running until she was outside of the castle, desperately looking around for somewhere to hide. Her mind hadn't been working properly, and she had paid no attention to where she was going.

The sky was dark, making it a little hard for Lillian to see, resulting in her almost falling flat on her face when she tripped over a step that she didn't know was there. She managed to put her hands down in front of her, keeping her face from making contact.

That was all that Arthur needed to be able to catch up to her. The moment he turned the corner and saw her on her knees he moved as quickly as he could to help her. "Lillian, are you okay? Are you hurt at all?" He asked her, putting his arms around her waist from behind to help her up.

"I'm… I'm fine." She mumbled, trying to pull herself together.

"Lily, why did you run away from me? I only want to talk to you, to make sure that you're okay." Arthur told her, the concern seeping through in his voice.

Lillian didn't understand why he was so concerned, she knew he had seen her, there was no way he couldn't have. So why was he being calm about it all? "Because… I just… I need to be on my own, Arthur." She managed to tell him, taking a step away from him.

Arthur frowned at her slightly. "I know you, Lily, it's more than that."

She let out a sigh as she straightened out her dress. "I have to go. I shouldn't even be out here, my brother will be worried."

"Then let me accompany you back to your chamber safely." The Prince of Camelot said, holding a hand out towards her. Lillian just wrapped her arms around herself before walking past him and back towards the castle.

Things never seemed to go how she wanted them to go, she never seemed to have a normal life. Well, that's what happens when you are a High Priestess and a Princess and just so happen to be best friend with the Prince of Camelot.

Although Lillian had walked past him, Arthur was still walking with her, just slightly behind. "Lily, will you please talk to me." He pleaded, just as they reached the entrance they had both come charging out of.

"There is nothing to talk about, sire." She replied coldly. She knew what she had to do now, the thing that she most hated to do.

"Lily, of course there is. Such as the bandits." He told her, hoping that she would at least listen to him. He could tell she was not in the best of moods, she always called him sire when she was annoyed with him or upset about something he had done.

Lillian tensed and her nails ended up digging into her arms a little. "There is nothing to talk about, sire." She repeated.

"Why did you run off like that, Lillian? Anything could have happened to you, you could have been killed."

"And yet I was not. I made it to Rolana safely, as did you and your knights. There is nothing to talk about." She really didn't know how long she was going to cope with being in his presence. She was nervous as well as frightened.

Arthur let out a sigh, before putting both his hands on her shoulders and stopping her from walking any further. "Lily…"

"Please remove your hands, sire."

"No, Lillian. I will not move my hands, I will not let you go. You have to talk to me." Arthur was determined to get to the bottom of everything. He couldn't stand the way she was acting with him, it was hurting him. "Do you remember what I said to you, that night that you woke after I had been bitten by the Questing Beast?"

Lillian closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Please, do not do this." She whispered.

"Lily, do you remember what I said?" He pressed, wanting to get an answer from her.

"Yes."

He smiled a little, glad that she had remembered and had answered him rather than trying to brush his question off again. "And what did I say?"

"You said… you said that…" Lillian felt a lump get caught in her throat as she tried to speak. Of course she remembered, she remembered everything he had said that night, along with what she had said. It had left her an emotional wreck afterwards, leaving her feeling so confused.

With his hands still on her shoulders, Arthur turned her around to face him. "Look at me, Lillian." She done as she was told and opened her eyes to look at him. They were still red, and a fresh wave of tears was already building. "I told you that I loved you with all my heart. I still do."

"Arthur…" She breathed, just wishing for an escape. Too much had happened in such a short time, and she was still trying to process everything. Of course she loved him back, she had told him that as well, but she had also told him they could never be together.

"Do you remember what else I said that night?" Lillian just looked at him, trying her best to force back the tears. "I told you that I would love you even if you had magic, Lily." He said, moving one of his hands from her shoulder and to the side of her face.

"Those are false words, Arthur. You can never love someone with magic. You have been brought up with the knowledge that all magic is evil and that those that practice it must be sent to their deaths." Lillian told him, remembering how she had snapped at him the last time he had said those words to her.

"I have been brought up on lies. I have seen that not everyone who uses magic is evil." Arthur told her gently. "It is the person who wields it who is evil, not the magic. I've seen it be used for evil too many times, but now I have seen how it can be used for good."

"Stop, Arthur. Please just…" She said, before choking back a small sob.

"Tell me again, why you left Camelot?" He asked, confusing Lillian a little.

"My brother. We left to return to Rolana and pass the throne to him."

He gave her a small smile once more. "You're lying, Lillian. You left Camelot because of your magic. Magic that you were born with, that you have used so many times to save my life. That was the true reason for why you left." He told her, shocking her completely.

"What?" She remembered telling him about all of that, but that had been during his suffering from the effects of the Questing Beasts bite. She didn't think he could hear her, let alone remember it all.

"That's why you say we can never be together, Lily, because of your magic. I know, because you told me."

"I… I don't know what you're talking about, Arthur." She stuttered, trying to think of a way to talk herself out of the mess she was now in.

The prince just frowned at her. "Yes you do. You used magic against the bandits because there was no other option. That was something else you told me, that you would never use it if there was another way."

"That wasn't me." Lillian protested weakly.

"You're lying again, Lily. I know it was you, I saw you. As soon as the order was given to kill me, you screamed, your eyes flashed gold and the men flew through the air." He said, recalling the event clearly in his mind. "I know it was you, Lillian. Why else did you run away? Why else were you telling me you were sorry?"

"I just… they were…" She knew there was no way out of it now. Arthur knew she had magic, there was no point trying to deny it any longer. She closer her eyes and took a deep breath, removing her hands from her arms. Arthur watched her, as she opened her eyes and they flashed gold for a second. "I have magic, Arthur." She told him, opening one of her hands to reveal a flame taking shape of the Pendragon crest and letting her eyes fall to the ground beneath her feet.

The prince watched as the flaming dragon danced in her hand before turning into a puff of smoke. "I know." He whispered, before moving his hand and raising her gaze back up to meet his. "And yet I still love you with all my heart."

Lillian just shook her head at him. "You can't, Arthur. Do you not understand? I have magic, I am the enemy." She told him. "If your father were to find out…"

"I will tell no one." He assured her. "So tell me now why we can't be together, Lily? You have magic, but I will never tell a soul."

"Because… we just can't, Arthur. It's too big a risk. If anyone found out, especially your father, then he would declare war on Rolana in an instant. I would be sentenced to death and anyone who knew me would be accused of conspiring with a sorcerer, and that includes you." She told him.

Arthur just let out a sigh. He hadn't expected it to be this difficult, he had thought she would be pleased that he could accept that she had magic. "Do you love me?" He asked, clearly taking her by surprise.

She simply nodded at him. "Forever and with all my heart." Lillian whispered to him. She wasn't going to just stop caring about him and loving him because of what had happened.

"Then listen to me. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known." He told her softly. "I have always known there was something different about you, something special. And no matter what, I will never, ever, let any harm come to you."

"Arthur, I just… I don't see things working between us." She told him, as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "There is still a lot you don't know about me. You do not yet know all of my secrets, Arthur."

He just shook his head at her. "I don't care, Lillian. I don't care that you have secrets, that there are things you are not telling me. That is not going to stop me from being in love with you. I told you that I would wait forever, Lily, but I cannot wait that long anymore."

Lillian didn't really know what to say. Of course she trusted Arthur, she had known him for longer than she could remember. But this was something big, bigger than the both of them. "You have to understand, I'm not normal, nothing about me is normal." She told him.

"Lillian, I don't care." Arthur said, this time putting both his hands on her cheeks.

"I… I can make things move. I can play with fire. I can…"

"I don't care." He said slowly as he cut her off.

"I can travel great distances in just one step. I'm not normal, I'm anything but normal. And you still don't know everything about me." Lillian seemed desperate to get Arthur to change his mind, to stop him from caring about her.

"Stop. Just stop, Lillian. I don't care about any of that. I care about you, with or without magic." He told her, before reaching down and pressing his lips against hers. Lillian didn't respond to his touch straight away, she was scared and nothing was going to change that.

But eventually she caved, and kissed him back. She found her hands move from down by her side and slowly moved them to the chest of the man who was there kissing her. The moment Arthur realised she had moved her arms, he moved his hands from her cheeks and put them on her waist, pulling her closer to him.

A few minutes later, they finally broke apart. Arthur saw Lillian's cheeks flushing as he tucked a few strands of her hair that had fallen in front of her face behind he ear. "So, do you think that you can accept me knowing about your magic?" He asked her gently, still with his arms around her.

"Do I really have much of a choice?" She asked, her hands now resting on the prince's shoulders.

Arthur pulled a face, his thinking face. "No." He told her, before reaching down and kissing her once more.

Lillian could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She had never expected Arthur to accept her magic, to be as calm and rational about it as he had been. She had expected him to be disgusted with her, to want nothing more to do with her and to leave the moment he could. But he hadn't, he had just told her once more that he loved her.

Up at one of the windows, Merlin was watching both the Prince and Princess with a smile on his face. From where he was standing, it looked like that had talked things out and were finally happy, and that was what was causing him to grin like an idiot.

"Well, it certainly took them long enough." A voice called from behind him.

The warlock quickly spun around and saw King Irwin standing over by the other window. Obviously he had seen what had happened as well. "Sorry, sire. I was just…"

He just smiled at him. "Merlin, it's fine. We were both spying on them."

"When I spoke to Lillian earlier, I was sure she had no intention of speaking with Arthur. But I'm glad she has talked to him. They needed to clear the air, because they need each other." Merlin told him, letting his gaze fall back on his friends that were still outside. Arthur still had his arms wrapped around Lillian, and they both seemed happy.

"Arthur can be very persistent, Lillian can be very stubborn. It didn't take them as long as I thought it would to straighten everything out. I'm surprised Arthur managed to find her so quickly as well. She was determined to stay in her chamber and out of sight." Irwin told him, a smile on his face as well. He was happy that his sister had told Arthur the truth, and that the Prince of Camelot had accepted her for who she was, including her magic.

Lillian and Arthur had no idea that they were being watched. They didn't care either, because at that moment in time, everything was just perfect for the both of them. Arthur knew about her magic, and he still insisted he loved her. Lillian couldn't ask for more than that when she had been thinking terrible things would come from it. But they were together, and they were happy. They were going to enjoy that moment for as long as they could.

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**A/N: And there it is, Arthur not only knows but has also accepted it. I spent a long time going over this chapter and changing things, I still don't think it's perfect, and I'm sure I've missed a few spellings and things. **

**I'm going away for 3 weeks in a few days, but I'm going to do my best to keep on writing and updating while I'm gone. It won't be easy, but I'm going to give it a shot. **

**Anyway, thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, and those who have favourited/followed. You guys really do make me smile. So remember to review this chapter as well, and if there's spellings or anything point them out to me so I can fix it. I'm still waiting for my new glasses so reading is difficult. **

**Pippa.**


	27. Thinking of the Future

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the long wait, but I am back home now and have a few months to spare before heading back to uni. Here's the next chapter. **

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Lillian slowly opened her eyes and was met with the bright blue ones belonging to Arthur. "Well, this is awkward." She mumbled, their eyes locked.

Arthur frowned at her. "Why is this awkward?"

"It's usually me waking up in your bed, instead, you're waking up in mine. Think of what the servants will have to say about this."

He smiled at her, a twinkle in his eyes. "Hmm, I don't care what they have to say." He whispered to her, before leaning in and kissing her softly. There was a slight grin on his face as he pulled away while Lillian's cheeks flushed a little.

"Yes, well maybe I do. You seem to forget, this is Rolana and not Camelot. The people here have no idea that we have been friends since we were children." Lillian reminded him. It was strange for her, being back in her room, in her home, but with Arthur there with her. She had never imagined that would ever happen, and yet it had.

"Maybe we had better go and change that then. How about you give me a tour of the city after breakfast?" He asked her, not even trying to move from the bed. He was happy to just stay there with his Lily all day.

"I think my brother will be wishing to speak with you, I know he will probably end up shouting at me the moment he sees me." She had yet to tell him that she had in fact spoken to Arthur and revealed her magic to him.

"Lily, I am sure you're brother will be fine with all of this." Arthur tried to assure her. "If anything I think it is me who should be worried. You're brother can be scary at times."

Lillian let out a slight chuckle, knowing that he was right. "You don't know the half of it. Ever since he found out I was in Camelot, he has been trying to get me to leave there. He didn't think it was safe, he wanted me to come back to Rolana."

"Well, he had every right to feel that way, Lily. He was only trying to look out for you, to keep you safe. I promise to do the same, to keep you safe, no matter where you are." He said, gently placing a hand on the side of her cheek and smiling at her.

He leaned in a little, preparing to kiss her once more, only for there to be a loud knocking at the door. The pair both let out a groan. "Who is it?" Lillian shouted, making sure to sound grumpy and annoyed.

"It's Merlin." A familiar voice called through the door. Lillian dragged herself out of her bed and over to the door.

She pulled it open slowly, and just enough so that he couldn't see Arthur still lying on her bed. "Can I help you, Merlin?" She asked, faking a yawn. For some reason, she didn't want to give away that Arthur was in her chamber.

Back in Camelot, being found in his chamber never bothered her, because the whole of Camelot knew who she was and how long her relationship with Arthur had been there for. Being in Rolana was different, they had no idea about Arthur, about how close they had always been, and they had no idea that he only ever wanted to help her and protect her.

If one person were to find out, soon enough the whole castle would know, then it would spread through the city like wildfire and Lillian would be frowned upon.

"You're brother wishes to see you as soon as you are dressed." Merlin told her, bringing her back to reality rather than thinking about the problems that could arise.

"Thank you, Merlin. I hope he isn't sending you off to do all his errands while you are here. I strictly told him that you were here as a guest, not as Arthur's servant nor his." She replied, frowning a little. She was curious as to why her brother was sending Merlin around the castle with messages for her. It just didn't seem right.

"Oh no, I offered to actually." The warlock admitted. "I was just wandering around when I bumped into him, he said he was waiting for you to decided to get up. So I offered to tell you that he wanted to see you when you were ready." He said, pausing and thinking before nodding his head, as if making sure his excuse really did make sense.

"Well, as long as that's all it was, Merlin. Like I said, you are a guest here, you are not here to work." Lillian told him, giving him her best smile. He really was a great friend to her, and she didn't know how she would cope if she no longer had him as a friend.

Merlin gave her a huge grin back. "Uh, you haven't seen Prince Arthur by any chance have you?" He asked, watching her and still grinning. "He isn't in his chamber, and I'm pretty sure his bed hasn't been slept in."

Lillian done her best not to give anything away, not to let on that he was currently lying on her bed, trying his hardest not to laugh at the whole situation. "No, and do not wish to see him either." She told her friend sternly.

Merlin just raised an eyebrow at her. "So, you're still trying to avoid him then?" He asked her curiously.

"Yes, I am." She said, rolling her eyes. _"And by avoiding, I mean avoiding anyone finding out his is in my chamber."_ She then called to his mind.

Merlin had to stop himself from bursting out laughing. Lillian had acted so well, pretending that she didn't want to see Arthur, and that she had no idea where he was. The warlock just shook his head at her. "Well, you're brother wishes to talk with him at some point as well."

"You had better go and find him and tell him that then." Lillian said to him. "I will head to see my brother soon. Thank you, Merlin." She said, smiling at him before closing the door. When she turned around, Arthur was just looking at her, shaking his head a little. "What?"

"You really are impossible sometimes, you do know that don't you?" Arthur said, giving her a slight grin. "Is there a reason why you are letting my servant walk around your castle trying to find me, when you know exactly where I am?" He asked, slowly getting up from the bed and walking over to where Lillian was standing at the wardrobe.

"To keep him busy." She replied, rummaging through her dresses. "I want to see how much of the castle he will search before finally giving up and announcing that you are officially missing."

"That is rather cruel of you, Lillian." Arthur replied, a frown forming on his face. "I'd give it till noon." He then said, making Lillian chuckle.

"See, you're just as bad. Actually, no, you are worse than me. I am no where near as harsh and bossy to him as you are." She said, pulling out a very simple blue dress. "At least I'm giving him a chance to relax while he is here, making sure he has a comfortable bed to sleep on."

"Are you saying I treat my servants badly?" Arthur wondered, lightly wrapping his arms around her waist as he stood behind her.

"No, I'm just saying that I treat your servants better than you, hence why they like me more." There was a smug grin on her face, because she knew she was right. After leaving Camelot and living without servants, she learned to respect people more, to see everyone as an equal and not through the social statuses that others did.

"My servants do not like you more." It was clear from his tone that he was just a little upset.

All Lillian could do was grin. "You keep on thinking that, Arthur. Now, I need to get dressed and go see my brother. You need to behave while I'm gone and not let anyone find out that you have been in here all night."

"Does that mean that the good little Princess is going to keep me locked in her chamber until she returns?" He asked, spinning her around so that she was facing him.

Lillian just smirked at him. "Do you want me to lock you in my chamber until I return? I may be gone for quite some time, I may even forget that you are in here." She replied. It was a little odd the way that they had fallen straight back into their close relationship after what had just happened. They were joking with each other, teasing one another and getting on just how they had back in Camelot. It was like nothing had changed at all, which was a surprise to Lillian.

"Well then, I suppose I had better head back my own chamber then." He told her, reaching down a little and making their lips touch. "Be nice to your brother." Arthur whispered, before heading to the door. Lillian just rolled her eyes at him before pushing him out of her chamber so that she could get dressed.

Once she was dressed, it didn't take her that long to find her brother. He was exactly where she thought he would be, the throne room. He was sitting there, reading through some papers when she entered, Irwin not even acknowledging her. Lillian stood there in front of him, tapping her foot.

"What is it? I'm busy?" He said rather gruffly.

Lillian rolled her eyes at him. "Well then, I'll just go back to my chamber shall I?" She said, turning swiftly on her heels and ready to walk out of the room. Only Irwin was quick to get out of his chair and catch hold of her arm.

"Lillian, where were you last night?" He asked, a serious look on his face. "I came to your chamber but you weren't there. Where were you?"

"I… uh… I went for a walk?" She mumbled, not really sure how to tell him she was with Arthur. "I was getting a little bored in my chamber, I needed to get some air."

Irwin just raised an eyebrow at her. "And you were on your own, were you?"

Lillian looked up, she could see the disappointed look on her brothers face. She let out a sigh, knowing she had to tell him the truth. "No. Arthur somehow managed to find my chamber, I'm blaming that one on Merlin. He sort of followed me as I ran from him."

"Anything else?" The look in his eyes said it all, he knew she wasn't telling him everything.

She bit her lip before taking a deep breath. "He knows." She whispered to him. "I told him, and showed him. He really does know now."

Her brother folded his arms across his chest. "Do I need to prepare for an attack from a certain kingdom now?" He asked her, making sure his face was still serious.

"I… I don't think so. I think… well I think everything is going to be okay." She told him, playing with her hands in front of her.

"And would that be why no one has seen him since the feast last night?" The king asked her. Lillian hung her head in shame, she should have known her brother would find out about everything. "That's a yes then. I assume that you both behaved appropriately as well?"

Her cheeks started burning and flushed a rather bright red. "Shut up, Irwin. It's not like that, you know it isn't. It's never been like that." Lillian was annoyed that her brother would ever even think that of her.

A few moments passed before he broke out in laughter and wrapped his arms around his younger sister. "I know, Lil's, I know. I'm just glad to see that you and Arthur are strong together. If you can get through this, if he can accept you having magic, then there is something special there."

"Now, Irwin, let's not jump too far ahead. There isn't exactly anything going on with Arthur. I mean, I don't even know what we are apart from friends." Lillian told him, pulling away from him a little.

"That's not what it looked like last night." He told her, a smirk forming on his face. She just looked up at him with wide eyes. "Oh, I saw the pair of you out there, it looked like a little bit more that just friends."

She let out a sigh, she hadn't known that her brother had actually seen her outside with Arthur. "Look, this is something I haven't even spoken with Arthur about, I'm certainly not going to talk about it with you." She told him firmly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to find Merlin and see if he has found our guest yet."

Before her brother could say another word, she swept out of the throne room and made her way to the part of the castle where the group from Camelot were staying. She actually wanted to go and check on the knights, she hadn't seen them since the attack and felt that she needed to know they really were all okay.

"_Lillian?"_ Merlin called to her.

She stopped in her tracks at the tone of his voice, he sounded rather worried, and that was never a good thing. _"What's wrong? Has something happened?"_ She asked him, turning and looking out of the window.

"_Well, I can't actually find Arthur."_ He said, causing Lillian to chuckle to herself slightly. _"He wasn't in your chamber, and I haven't seen him anywhere."_

She let out a sigh. _"Well, he can't have gone far. Have you looked everywhere for him? Or just certain places?"_ Lillian asked. She knew he wouldn't have looked everywhere, he didn't even know everywhere in the castle.

"_Only the places I know."_ He admitted to her.

"_Where are you? I'll come and help you find him if you want."_ She offered, still gazing out of the window.

"_Uh, I think I'm lost actually." _Lillian couldn't help but roll her eyes as she started to turn and wander through the castle a little.

"_Where do you think you are? Describe something to me?"_ She called back to him, heading up a small set of stone steps. _"Never mind."_ The moment she said that, he turned around and saw her standing at the end of the corridor he had been lost in for the past hour. "You don't really seem that lost."

He shrugged his shoulders at her. "I felt lost. Is this place bigger than back in Camelot?" All Lillian could do was nod at him. It was bigger, but not by too much. "I think I need a map."

"Forget about the map, you wanted to hunt down Arthur. I take it you did look in his chamber?" She said as she walked past him and carried on down the corridor.

Merlin quickly rushed to catch up with her. "Yeah, but he wasn't in there. I thought you said he was in…" Lillian quickly turned and glared at him, making him stop in his tracks. "What?" He asked, a confused look on his face.

"_You need to be very careful of what you say around here."_ She warned him, but in a polite way. _"The people of Rolana are completely unaware of how well Arthur and I know each other."_

Merlin nodded his head at her. _"Sorry, I forgot. I'll be more careful." _Lillian just gave him a soft smile, she knew that he wouldn't tell a soul, he had never told anyone of her magic. "So, where are we going to look?"

Lillian just closed her eyes and used her magic to focus on finding Arthur. She had noticed that recently she had been able to sense his presence, and the more time they spent together, the stronger it grew. "He's outside, training with some knights from Rolana and Camelot." She whispered, before opening her eyes and looking at Merlin.

He was looking back at her with wide eyes. "How do you know that?" He asked, clearly a little surprised at how she had managed to find him like that.

A grin took over her face. "Magic." She whispered to him, causing him to roll his eyes. "I can find you just the same way, and, if you tried, you could find me that way too. I'm pretty sure you could find Arthur as well if you tried hard enough."

"How?" Her warlock friend asked eagerly. "How can I do that?"

"_Concentrate."_ She whispered through to his mind. _"Concentrate on the one you are trying to find and only them."_

He nodded at her and closed his eye, focusing all his thoughts on Arthur. He was trying so hard, but getting nothing. The frustration was growing inside of him, he wanted to be able to do it, to sense both Arthur and Lillian. They were two of the most important people in his life, even if he didn't want to admit it about a certain prince.

"_Relax, Merlin. Don't push yourself too hard, you'll just make it worse. It will come to you, I know you can do it."_ Lillian assured him.

With his eyes still closed, he let out a long breath, and tried again. He saw a flash of red and blue, the sun reflecting off metal. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "That… that was…"

Lillian just smirked at him. "You found him then?" She commented, seeing the awe struck expressing on his face. "Come on, we better go and make sure my knights aren't too hard on him." She said, grinning as she walked along the corridor with Merlin trailing behind her.

It didn't take them long to reach the grassy area where the knights were all training, with one prince now standing to the side and observing them closely. He looked slightly frustrated, and Lillian could only hope that he had found it difficult sparring with the knights from Rolana.

"Good morning, Prince Arthur." Lillian called cheerfully as she strolled over to where he was standing. All the knights stopped at hearing her voice and bowed respectfully to her. She nodded her head to them and they returned to what they had been doing.

"Princess Lillian, I do hope you are feeling much better today." Arthur said, trying to force the smirk that wanted to stretch across his face from appearing.

She too was trying to stop a smirk from forming. "I am feeling much better after having a good night of rest, thank you."

The pair fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the knights. It was pretty clear to see that the knights of Rolana were very skilled, and those from Camelot seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"Your knights are very skilled, Princess Lillian." Arthur told her after a few more minutes has passed. "I'm impressed."

"As you should be, Prince Arthur. These are some of the finest men in Rolana, and trained to the highest standard. We only accept the best of the best." She told him smugly.

The prince just rolled his eyes at her. "Prince Lillian, I was hoping you would be able to show me around this wonderful home of yours. If you have the time?" He asked her, a sparkle in his eyes.

She paused and thought about it for a moment. Lillian did want to show him around, but she wasn't too sure she was up to giving him the tour yet. She quickly put on a sad and disappointed face. "I am afraid I have other matters to attend to, as do you, Prince Arthur." She told him. "My brother wishes to see you, I believe he has very important matters to discuss with you."

Arthur just frowned at her, he had expected her to accept and for them to both go out and enjoy some time together. "Of course, I shall make my way to see him immediately."

She could see the disappointment in his eyes, and it was in his voice as well. "Allow me to accompany you, Prince Arthur. I must speak with my brother also." She said, stepping next to him and slipping her arm through his with a smile on her face. She was subtly giving off little hints that they were close, but just enough so that people who saw them would not think badly of either of them. "Merlin, I expect you to enjoy you day. Visit the town and explore. I do not wish to hear that you have been working, is that understood?" She asked her warlock friend.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Yes, Princess Lillian."

Lillian smiled back before gently tugging Arthur in the direction of the entrance to the castle. As they made their way, a few of the workers saw them and bowed or curtsied, causing Lillian to nod and smile at them. Inside she was petrified of what they were then going to go and gossip about. She really didn't want her and Arthur to be the biggest gossip around the castle, because it would soon spread to the rest of the kingdom and she wasn't really ready for that.

Soon enough the two of them was standing outside of the throne room, and the guard was quick to open the door for the pair. "I have brought Prince Arthur, Irwin. I believe you wished to speak with him."

Her brother looked up from the paperwork in his hands and smiled at little as he saw her arm still linked with he Prince's. "Prince Arthur, I hope you first night here was a relaxing one." He asked, putting the papers down on the empty chair beside him and standing up.

"I admit, I was worried about Princess Lillian at first, but now I have seen that she is fine I am much more at ease." He said, smiling away.

Irwin simply nodded at him. "When she arrived here yesterday she was very distraught. It was difficult for me to understand anything that she was saying, all I knew was that there had been an attack by some bandits and she had managed to get escape and make her way here."

Arthur swallowed nervously, he wasn't sure how the King was going to react to what had happened on their journey there. He also didn't know how much of it Lillian had told her brother. "I am just relieved to know that she arrived here safely, King Irwin."

Lillian cleared her throat before either of the men could say another word. "Irwin, I believe there are matters that need to be discussed." She said, turning very serious.

He let out a sigh and nodded. "Indeed there are. Prince Arthur, I believe we need to discuss what occurred on your way here." Irwin told him, also turning very serious. He noticed the prince stiffen a little, and suddenly look slightly scared. "Relax, Arthur. Lillian has told me everything of what happened. But now, we need to agree on what shall happen next."

"Sire, I assure you, I will never tell a soul." Arthur told him, holding his head up high. "I would never let any harm come to Lillian, she means everything to me."

Irwin studied him carefully for a few moments, making the prince even more nervous, before a smile broke out on his face. "That is what I was hoping you would say. But be warned, Prince Arthur, that if any harm comes to my sister, I will not let it pass."

Lillian let out a slight groan at her brothers warning, she had told him not to be too harsh on the prince or to try and scare him, yet that was exactly what he was doing. "Irwin, I can look after myself." She mumbled.

He looked over at her. "That may be so, but there are some things even you are not capable of stopping." Irwin told her, keeping his tone firm and serious. "You're all I have left now, Lils. This world would mean nothing to me if anything ever happened to you."

Lillian knew he was being honest with her, and she quickly moved from Arthur and wrapped her arms around her brother, hugging him tightly. "You're all I have too, Irwin." She whispered to him.

He chuckled a little as he hugged her back, before pushing her away a little. "No, Lils, you have Arthur."

"King Irwin, there is something I wish to ask you." Arthur announced, breaking the little moment between the siblings. Lillian took a step back and away from her brother so that Arthur had his full attention. "I ask for your permission to court Princess Lillian." He said, holding his head high and trying his best to overcome his nerves. He had heard what Irwin had said to Lillian, and he decided that it was time to do what he felt was right.

There was a smile on Irwin's face as he turned to his little sister, who seemed a little shocked at the prince's request. He looked back at the Prince of Camelot, still smiling. "You have my permission, Prince Arthur. I must say, it has taken the pair of you longer than I ever imagined to finally reach this point."

Lillian didn't really know what to say, it hadn't been what she had expected to happen. She had never even thought about them courting, she had always believed that they would only ever be just good friends.

She was brought out of her little world of thought when she felt a hand slip into her own. Lillian's eyes met those of Arthur as he smiled at her, his eyes bright and a goofy grin on his face. It was definitely going to be an interesting time in Rolana now, and no doubt Irwin would want to soon announce the courting to the rest of the kingdom.

Maybe, just maybe, things would work out well for once. Maybe there would be no threat and no danger. Maybe everyone would be happy for them. But then again, maybe there would be someone out there who wasn't pleased with their courting, someone who wanted to destroy them both. Right now, none of that mattered to Lillian, she had finally told Arthur she had magic and he had accepted it.

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**A/N: Okay, so I'm not entirely sure I'm completely happy with that chapter, but I needed to push something out there so that I could bring in something else. It's all very complicated and extremely confusing. But I know what I'm doing. **

**Big thank you to everyone who has favourited/followed. You guys are awesome. And to those who have reviews, an even bigger thank you followed by chocolate sprinkles and candy. I do love reading your reviews (yes, I do read the flames as well. They don't make me as happy), so keep on reviewing. **

**Pippa.**


	28. The Truth About Magic

**A/N: I am so so sorry for the long wait for the update. Once more I shall not make up excuses, all I can say is sorry.**

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Lillian was sitting just outside of the castle, Arthur sprawled out on the grass beside her. "I can't believe you asked my brother for permission." She groaned, looking up at the sky.

"It was the right thing to do, Lillian. I want to do things properly, I'm not going to hide how I feel about you." Arthur told her, brushing a lock of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"Is that right?" She asked, looking over at him, a frown ready to form on her face. "So you ask my brother but fail to ask me. Maybe I do not wish to be courted by such an arrogant prince as yourself." She said as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Is that so, Princess Lillian?" He asked, sounding slightly amused. "If you do not wish for the Prince of Camelot to court you, I'm sure he could find another princess."

"Well, I suppose you could. But would I let you?" There was a sly grin on her face, and it just seemed to intrigue Arthur even more.

"And how would you do that?"

Lillian shrugged at him. "I'd find a way. I can be very resourceful when I need to be."

"Are you going to keep being awkward and stubborn the whole time?" Arthur asked her.

Lillian just pushed herself up and stood in front of him. "Come with me." The prince didn't move, he just continued to look at her. "Come on, Arthur, come with me."

He got himself up and Lillian held out her hand. As he took it, a grin spread across her face. "Come on. I want to show you something." She led Arthur further away from the castle, and into the forest.

"Lillian, where are we going?" Arthur asked her, slightly worried about what was going to happen. She didn't answer him, just kept leading him along. "Lily, please tell me where we are going."

She stopped and looked at him. "Do you trust me, Arthur?" Lillian asked him seriously. "Because if you don't…"

"I trust you, Lillian. I will always trust you."

"Okay, then close your eyes." He did as she asked in an instant. "Give me your other hand." Once again he done as she asked. "Now, just… don't worry."

"Lily, I promise not to worry." Although inside he was completely terrified of what she was going to do and what was going to happen.

"Geanoirr mec æt sé díepe." She whispered, her eyes flashing gold for a second before a wind picked up around them. As quickly as it started, it disappeared. "Okay, you can open your eyes now." She told Arthur, biting her lip and waiting to see his reaction.

They slowly opened and his eyes fixed straight on her. "What happened?" He asked, not noticing the change.

"Turn around." Lillian said, letting go of one of his hands.

He slowly turned his head and was stunned by what he was seeing. "But… but we were…"

"I did warn you that I could travel using my magic."

"Where are we?" He asked, having a much better look around at where they were.

"A lake, east of the city. This is where I always used to come, when we had left Camelot. I had a hard time when we left, I had never wanted to go in the first place, but my magic was growing stronger." She told him, leading him closer towards the water just a short distance before them. "My parents were scared that someone would find out, that we would all be executed and that your father would crush Rolana."

Arthur squeezed her hand tightly as she began to explain things more to him. Now that he knew she had magic, she didn't have to keep so much hidden from him. She could start to be honest.

"I would come here, sit by the water and cry. I missed Camelot, it had become my home. And I missed you. But I knew that I could never return to Camelot, not with the views on magic." It was clear that she was struggling to explain herself and keep it all together. "This was the next best thing. I could come here, pretend that the world was different, that I wasn't a monster for having magic, that I didn't deserve to die for something that I never asked for."

"Lily, you are not a monster." Arthur told her softly, seeing a few tears roll down her cheeks.

"But what about other people who have magic, Arthur? Are we all monsters? I told you once before, you can't judge a person because they have magic, you have to judge them on how they use their magic." She said, wondering what his answer would be but not giving him the chance to answer her. "I use my magic to help people, not to cause harm or to get revenge. But I have always been too scared to use it, the fear of being caught and being sent to death."

"You have opened my eyes, Lily, and I know that people should not be judged just because they have magic. You're right, and I understand why you were scared." He said to her, and meaning every word.

"Come on, the lake is pretty magical." She said, tugging him with her as she crept towards the edge of the water.

Arthur couldn't see anything overly special about it, it just looked like a lake to him. He soon realised just how wrong he was, when he saw the way the light was reflecting off the water. He could see tiny creatures hovering above the surface.

"It's okay, they will not hurt you, if you do not hurt them." Lillian said, actually pulling him into the water. She didn't seem to care that her dress was getting soaked, and Arthur decided he shouldn't worry over his clothing either.

"What are they?" He asked, as one flew around his head. He could have sworn he heard laughter coming from it.

"Most people call them water sprites. They're magical creatures, they mean no harm to anyone, unless they are seen as a threat." Lillian explained, holding her hand out above the water.

A few seconds later, one of them landed on her hand. They were so tiny, able to sit in the palm of her hand. "They know me now, they trust me." Lillian told him, smiling as the sprite spread out its wings, letting the sunlight glimmer on them, creating a rainbow of colours.

"I don't know what to say." Arthur whispered, looking at the tiny creature in her hand.

She turned and smiled at him. "Don't say anything, you don't have to. Just enjoy being here."

And he did, they stayed in the water for some time, the sprites giggling and flying around them. Lillian just felt so relaxed and calm, the water was helping her to forget about everything she had been worrying about, and everything terrible that had happened.

Eventually they got out of the lake, and sat down on the grass, lounging in the sunlight, drying off their clothes.

"_Lillian? Where are you?"_ The familiar voice of Merlin called to her.

"_I'm out with Arthur. I've been showing him around."_ She told him closing her eyes and letting the magic of the water continue to seep through her.

"_Your brother is wondering where the pair of you are. He seems a little worried._"

She could tell by Merlin's tone that something wasn't right. _"We'll be back in my chamber soon. Is everything okay?"_ She asked, hoping that nothing had happened while they had been gone.

"_I don't know. There are whispers of something happening, I don't know what, but your brother wants you home, he needs to see you're okay."_ Yes, something was definitely wrong.

She let out a sigh. _"We're coming back now." _Lillian called to him, before opening her eyes and looking at Arthur.

He was frowning at her. "What's wrong?"

"We have to head back. We've been missing all day, people will start to worry." She told him, not being completely truthful but not lying either.

"And how are we getting back? The city is some distance away." He reminded her.

All she could do was grin at him. "The same way we got here. Come on, give me your hands again." He done as he was told and closed his eyes, waiting for whatever she was going to do to be other with. "Geanoirr mec æt Rolana." She whispered.

A few seconds later, they were both still sitting down, but now on her bed in her chamber. "We're there."

Arthur opened his eyes and looked around, realising exactly where they were. "It must be handy, being able to travel like that."

Lillian shrugged her shoulders at him. "It comes in useful. Especially when I'm scared and running away from someone that I care about." She admitted to him.

"Is that how you managed to get so far ahead of us?" He asked her, tucking that stray lock of her behind her ear once more. She nodded at him. "Good, it kept you safe by doing that."

She simply smiled at him as someone knocked on her chamber door. "Come in, Merlin." She called, earning a strange look from the prince.

The door opened and to Arthur's surprise, Merlin stood there. "How did you do that? How did you know it was him?"

Lillian just leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Magic." Her answer made him chuckle.

"Princess Lillian, you're brother wishes to see you both. He says it's urgent." The look on his face was not a good one, and Lillian could only assume something very serious had happened.

"Thank you, Merlin. We shall head to see him now." She told him, getting herself up from the bed, Arthur following behind her. "Have you been enjoying your day?"

"I visited the town, the people here are so nice." He told her, smiling as her hand linked with Arthur's.

"Good. Now go and visit the tavern. I hear how much you like visiting the tavern back in Camelot." There was a sly smile on her face as she said it, knowing that it had always been an excuse for when he was saving Arthur and Camelot.

All he did was smile at them as he left the room. Lillian needed to actually talk to Merlin, things she couldn't talk to Arthur about. "What do you think you're brother wishes to see us for?" Arthur asked, as they walked hand in hand towards the throne room.

"I don't know. But I have a terrible feeling that something has happened, something bad." She replied, biting on her lip a little.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, one of the guards pulling open the door to the throne room when they approached. Irwin was standing in the corner, arguing with one of the knights. "Irwin? What's going on?" Lillian asked, rushing over to where he was.

"Lillian, you're okay? Where have you been all day?" He immediately forgot about his knight and hugged his younger sister.

"I took Arthur to the lake. We spent the day there. Now can you please tell me what is going on?" She pressed, needed to know why he was so worried and why he was stressed.

Her brother let out a sigh. "There have been several attacks, at least a dozen of our citizens have been killed."

Lillian's eyes widened. "What happened to them?"

"From what we can gather, magic." Lillian's face fell instantly. "It has been many years since we were attacked with magic, I cannot understand why it would start now." Irwin told her. Now she understood why he was so worried, and why he needed to know that she was all right.

"Where have these attacks happened?" She asked, standing tall and staying calm.

"Just outside of the city gates. The patrol found men, woman and children left by the side of the road. There are no injuries on them, no broken bones, no wounds, nothing. So we can only assume they were killed by magic." Irwin looked very glum as he spoke, and it was no surprise.

"Children?" Lillian whispered, unable to process the concept that someone would kill a child. "They… they found children?"

Her brother took a deep breath and nodded at her. "I am afraid so, Lillian. I want you to be very careful, do not leave the city unless Arthur or one of the knights are with you, is that understood?" She nodded at him, knowing exactly how worried and scared he was. It was serious, what was happening.

"Prince Arthur, it would appear your stay is not going to be as restful as anticipated." Irwin said, looking at the prince. Arthur had stayed quiet the whole time, just processing what was being said. "It would help to put my mind at ease a little if I knew you were keeping a close eye on my sister."

"Of course, King Irwin. I know exactly how much trouble Lillian can get into from her stay in Camelot." Arthur told him, causing Lillian to roll her eyes.

Irwin just smiled at him. "I would appreciate it if you would agree to move to the chamber by Lillian's. I know back in Camelot the pair of you reside right next to each other, and I think that would be a better way for you to keep an eye on her."

"Irwin." Lillian groaned, hating that fact that he was talking about her as if she wasn't even there.

"Hush, Lillian." He said to her, making her groan some more. "I thought you would have preferred Arthur being near you, rather than on the other side of the castle?"

"Yes, but what about the knights from Camelot? And Merlin?" She asked, glad that he was actually speaking to her and not excluding her still.

He let out yet another sigh. "Fine, I will see if any of them wish to move sides. I suppose it would be wise to keep them close to their prince." Irwin said, letting a smirk form on Lillian's face.

"Good. Now, I take it you have strengthened the patrols and issued a warning to the townsfolk?" Lillian wondered, for once very much acting like a princess.

"Yes, Lillian, I have. But we must all be very cautious. We have no idea why this is happening or whom is causing it. I do not want you travelling far, and I want you to inform me of any place you may wish to go." He said, giving her a certain look.

Lillian knew exactly what he was talking about, he was talking about her using her magic to travel to different places. "Of course, Irwin."

"I will make sure to look after her, King Irwin." Arthur finally spoke, seeing that the siblings were ending their conversation. "Since her return to Camelot, I have found many ways to encourage her to behave appropriately." He said with a smirk.

Irwin chuckled a little. "I'm just glad to know that someone can finally control her."

"Excuse me." Lillian called in protect. "I am not an unruly dog, thank you very much." She said, going into a little sulk.

Both the men laughed a little. "No, you are a very unruly princess, and you always have been, Lillian." Irwin said, making her pull a silly face at him. "I am sure Arthur has many tales to tell of how you have behaved in Camelot."

A grin swept over Arthur's face. "I do believe there are several. Most of them, if I recall correctly, involve you not doing as you were asked." He said, a glint in his eyes as he looked at Lillian.

"Arthur, I never do anything you tell me. I never have and I never will. Now, if the pair of you have finished bullying me, I have things to do." She said, turning on her heel and sweeping out of the room.

Irwin watched as she stormed out of the room, leaving him standing there with Arthur. "I need you to keep an eye on her, Arthur. This all seems a little too coincidental, that she arrives with the prince of Camelot and we come under attack."

Arthur just looked at him. "You think they are trying to get to Lillian?"

"I do not know, there is nothing about this that makes any sense. It has been over 10 years since the last magical attack on Rolana, and now…" He trailed off, thinking about what had happened since his sister had returned. "I do not know if they are after her, or trying to make a point. You are the Prince of Camelot, it was your father who sent the ban on magic in motion."

"So there are different motives?" Arthur asked, needing the confirmation of what he was thinking.

"There are. Just look after Lillian, keep her out of trouble. I know what she is like, and she is going to want to get involved in all of this and try to put a stop to it herself. You have to stop her, Arthur. She needs to let the knights and myself deal with this."

"I can try, but she tended to get herself involved in the dealings back in Camelot as well. There were many times where she disregarded everything I said and done what she wanted anyway." Arthur knew how much that was true. She was good at putting herself in danger when he had told her not to.

Later that day, Arthur was moved to the chamber by Lillian, taking a few of his knights with him. Most of them were happy where they were and didn't want to move to another part of the castle. Even Merlin had been asked if he wanted to move, but kindly refused as he was enjoying it where he was.

"Lily, are you okay?" Arthur asked, noticing how quiet she was being.

"I am, but some of the people of Rolana are not." She said, referring to the attacks and those who had died. "I just hope that they catch whoever is doing this soon before anyone else is harmed."

"Your brother is doing everything he can. All you can do is support him in his decisions and wait. He will find them, and put a stop it what they are doing." Arthur assured her.

She let out a sigh. "I hope you're right, Arthur. I thought we were getting away from all of this, away from the problems that magic causes. Turns out, it has followed us here." Lillian told him, resting her head in her hands.

Arthur was quick to get up from where he had been sitting at the table, drinking the wine that Lillian had brought for them. She was sitting on the bed, stressing over everything that had happened and could happen.

"Lily, stop worrying. You know what life is like in Camelot, the threats we face. Your brother is more than capable of dealing with this." He told her, sitting next to her and wrapping and arm around her shoulder.

"You know me, Arthur, I never stop worrying." She told him. "Especially when I know you could be in danger."

That just made him frown at her. "What do you mean? Why would I be in danger?" Arthur asked her curiously.

"You are Prince Arthur of Camelot. Your father led the war against magic." Lillian told him, letting out a sigh. "The most effective way to destroy Uther, to bring the downfall of Camelot, is to harm you. But I will never, ever let that happen."

Her words got him thinking, thinking about how much she could have actually done for him. It made him wonder how many times she had put her own life at stake for his, and he wanted to know the truth. "Lily, I want you to be completely honest with me." He said, getting her to act a little nervous. It was as if she already knew what he was going to ask her. "I want you to tell me every time you have saved my life. Anything you have done to stop someone from bringing the downfall of Camelot.

"Sophia and her father. They wanted to sacrifice you for a life of immortality. You really were under a spell, a spell that I didn't know how to break." She told him, thinking back to that time. The way he had treated her had almost killed her back then. "When you killed the unicorn. I went to Anhora, asked him to give you another chance to prove yourself. I knew what would happen, that it wasn't poison, but that you needed to prove yourself."

To say the prince was shocked was putting it mildly. He didn't really know what to think with what she was telling him. "And then there was the questing beast." She told him, making him tense up. "I traded my own life for yours. You still have so much to live for, Arthur, and I would lay down my life for you in an instant."

"You traded your own life for mine?" He asked, completely dumbstruck.

Lillian nodded at him. "That was why I became ill. I was dying, Arthur, so that you wouldn't. But someone else died in my place, so that we could both live."

"Who was it? Who died so that we could both live?" He asked, unsure that he even wanted to hear the answer.

"A high priestess. Do not ask me any more than that, because I simply cannot tell you anything else. All I can say, is she died and we both lived, not that she wanted that outcome. I was prepared to die for you, Arthur, and I would do it a thousand times over."

"And I would die a thousand times more for you Lily." Arthur told her, before taking her by surprise and kissing her passionately. "Is there anything else I should know?" Arthur asked her when they finally broke apart.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "How angry would you be, if you knew someone else in Camelot knew about my magic?" She asked him nervously.

"Someone else knew?" Lillian just nodded at him. "I… I don't know. Do I know this person?" She nodded once more. "I don't know, I don't think I would like it much." He admitted.

"I understand. Then maybe one day I will tell you, but perhaps now is not that time." She said, knowing that there was more to tell him than just that Merlin knew she had magic long before he did. "So, are you really okay with the fact that I have magic?"

"Yes, I am Lillian. If I couldn't accept it, why am I still here? Why did I ask for your brothers permission?" Arthur said, watching and waiting for her answer to his own questions.

"I guess not." She whispered. Of course, she had still been worried about it all, about how much Arthur could really accept. But he seemed to be doing rather well with everything she had told him.

"Come, we should probably make an appearance at dinner tonight since you failed to join us for the feast." Arthur told her, holding out his hand as he stood up.

"Do we have to? Can we not just stay here?" Lillian moaned, throwing herself back so that she was partially lying down on her bed now. "I don't want to have to make small talk with people I don't know or barely remember."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at the way she was acting. "No, we cannot stay here. Come on, Lillian, time to go see your brother and everyone else." She still didn't move but just let out yet another groan. "Am I going to have to make you move, Lily?" He threated, knowing that he could get her to move if he tried.

"You can try." She warned him, peeking up at him.

The prince took that as a yes and quickly jumped on the bed, taking her completely by surprise. She had only expected him to try and grab hold of her, not pounce on her like he had. She tried to wriggle away from him, only for him to hold onto her tighter.

"Okay, okay. Fine! You win!" She called to him, hoping he would let her go. "You win, Arthur. Let me go so we can go to dinner."

He pulled away from her slightly, but not all the way. He gazed into her eyes and before be knew it, she had pulled his head down towards her and kissed him. She wasn't scared of getting close to him anymore, of getting emotionally involved. There was something there between her and Arthur, and even if they still hadn't taken the time to talk about it, there was no denying that it was there.

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**A/N: Okay my lovelies, I hope you enjoyed that chapter. I have a lot planned for them while they are in Rolana, and there is actually going to be a lot of Merlin coming up.**

**Thank you to everyone who has favourites/followed the story, you guys rock. And a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed, you guys rock harder.**

**I'm glad that so many of you like this story, and your reviews always make me smile. So feel free to leave one, or PM me, or snail mail, last resort is by carrier pigeon.**

**Thank you so much everyone, for being completely and totally awesome!**

**Pippa.**


	29. Something is Coming

**A/N: I am really sorry for the long wait for this. i just haven't been able to get my head into this to write it. But I managed to finish this chapter. I apologise now for any spelling and grammar. I will check it again and update any errors. **

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Lillian was pacing in the throne room, waiting for her brother and Arthur to return. King Irwin had been called to some urgent matter in the town, and he requested that Arthur go with him. Of course, Lillian demanded to go as well, but ended up being locked in the throne room with Merlin to keep an eye on her.

"Lillian, just calm down." Merlin said to her, trying to get her to stop pacing.

But she simply carried on. "Something has happened, I know it has. And those two idiots don't want me to get involved." She mumbled. "Can't you feel it, Merlin? Something is coming, like a storm. It's getting closer and soon…"

"I know, Lillian. I can feel it. Is this why you are so worried all the time?" Lillian just looked at him and nodded. "Whatever it is, we can get through it." He said, before taking a hold of her hand, just trying to reassure her some more and stop her pacing.

Lillian turned and smiled at him. "You're magic is getting stronger, Merlin. Who knows, maybe one day you will be the greatest warlock to walk this earth." She teased.

Merlin just frowned at her. "How do you know my magic is stronger?" He asked her curiously.

"Because I can feel it, you have an important destiny, Merlin. One day, you're going to be more than just a warlock." She told him, smiling at the knowledge that he really was going to be someone great.

Their attention was grabbed when the huge wooden doors were thrown open and King Irwin stomped in, followed by Arthur. "What's happened? What's going on?" Lillian asked, rushing up to her brother.

He sent a glare her way. "Nothing for you to concern yourself with Lillian." Irwin growled at her, before walking past her and sitting down and rubbing his head.

"Yes, it is my concern. You may well be the King, but I am still the Princess. Until you marry and produce an heir, I am first in line to take care of Rolana if anything happens to you. So tell me what is going on!" Lillian shouted, really not in the mood for being messed around. She knew something was going on, she was just so on edge.

Irwin quickly stood up and stepped towards his sister. "And as King, I can revoke your title and disinherit you. This does not concern you. Do you understand, Lillian?" It seemed that he was in a shouting mood as well.

Lillian was fuming, and so without another word, she disappeared from the room. Leaving the three men to just stare at the spot where she once stood. Irwin let out a sigh. "Arthur, she must not be told. The moment she finds out she will take it upon herself to investigate."

"I understand. I do not wish for her to get involved with this either. She told me a few things that she has done in the past for me, and I was less than happy to know what she had been doing." Arthur told him, thinking back to the conversation about how many times she had saved his life and when she had traded her own for his.

Irwin nodded at him, trusting the prince to take care of his sister. "Knowing Lillian, she is at the top of the east tower right now. That's where she usually goes when she is angry with me."

Arthur nodded at him before turning and walking towards the door, Merlin following behind him. "Arthur, what happened?" The warlock asked, trying to keep up with the prince.

The Prince let out a sigh as they made their way to where they hoped Lillian would be. "Yesterday people were being killed, today people are disappearing." He told his servant, a grim expression on his face.

"Missing?" Merlin questioned, not actually wanting to believe it. He knew that Lillian was already worrying, and if she knew about this, she would just get herself even more worked up.

"Yes, Merlin, missing." Arthur snapped at him.

The pair of them walked the rest of the way in silence. Arthur was clearly troubled by what had happened, and Merlin was just worrying about Lillian. They both knew something terrible was coming, but neither of them knew what. He was wondering if this was it, what they could feel coming. But so far, it didn't feel like too much was happening, not compared to what they had been through in Camelot.

They found Lillian up in the tower, standing by the window and just gazing out of it. She didn't even turn when they approached her. "Lily, are you all right?" Arthur asked her, going and standing next to her.

"No, I'm not all right. My brother doesn't want to tell me what is going on, and I know he has told you not to tell me either." Lillian said, keeping her eyes firmly focused on the view before her. "This is my kingdom as well. I have a right to know what is happening."

"He is only trying to protect you, Lily. You managed to get yourself involved with the problems in Camelot, and now I know just how much you were involved. He is trying to keep you safe, and so am I." Arthur told her, hoping that she was listening to him.

Lillian turned to face him, letting out a sigh as she did. "I know you are, and I'm grateful. But it doesn't stop me from wanting to do something to help."

"I know, Lily, I know. Now come with me, I have a surprise for you." Arthur told her, gently taking a hold of her hand. "Merlin, go and enjoy yourself."

"Go to the tavern, take some of the knights with you." Lillian said, a smirk on her face. She did enjoy winding him up, and annoying him at times. It just made her feel better because she knew that he was not going to take much notice of it, he knew her now.

Merlin just glared at her slightly. "I'll think I'll pass on that. But I have things to do, so I'll see you later." He said, before walking off.

"So, what is this surprise that is more important than telling me what is going on in my own kingdom?" Lillian asked him, as they reach Prince Arthur's chamber.

The prince stopped and turned to face her, a serious look on his face. "Lily, your brother can handle it. Neither of us want you to get involved because we do not wish to see you get hurt. So please, Lily, I am asking you, please just leave it alone." He begged her.

Lillian knew that he was serious, and that he would do pretty much anything to stop her from getting herself tied up with what is going on. "Fine, I will stop asking about it. Happy now?" She said, making sure to let him know that she wasn't happy about not being told what was going on still.

"Yes." Arthur replied, reaching down and kissing her softly. "Now, your surprise." He opened the door to his chamber and led Lillian over to the table. Once she was sitting down, Lillian watched him walk over to the cupboard beside the bed.

She just sat there waiting, not having any idea what Arthur was going to do. There was a nervous look on his face as he walked back over to her. "I… I have something for you." He told her, handing her a red velvet box.

Lillian frowned at him, wondering why he was even bothering to get her things. She was a princess, she could afford to get things for herself if she wanted them. "Arthur, you don't need to give me things. I'm not the type of person who needs to be showered with gifts." She told him, still holding onto the box.

"I know, Lily. But I wanted to do this for you, I am allows to do things for you." He told her, looking rather nervous still. Lillian couldn't help but notice that, so whatever it was in the box, must have meant a lot to him.

"Okay. But just remember that, Arthur. I do not need gifts." She said to him, getting a nod in response.

"Open it."

Lillian took a deep breath as she put her hand on the top of the box, preparing herself to open it. She lifted the lid up, and her eyes widened at what she saw, lying in the box. "Arthur… how did you…" She didn't really know what to say. Inside the box lay a golden chain, with a deep blue heart shaped stone firmly hanging on the end. The light reflected off it, and cast different shades of blue around the room.

Arthur just reached out for the necklace. "I know your mother used to have one similar." He said, as Lillian held her hair up and out of the way so that the prince could secure the bright stone around her neck.

"I have no idea what happened to it. My father gave it to her when they started courting. She used to wear it all the time." Lillian said sadly, thinking back to her mother and father. She had tried so hard not to think of them, to keep herself together, but the gift from Arthur just reminded her of who was gone.

"Your brother doesn't know either. So I thought that you might like this." He told her. "I know things haven't been easy for you, Lillian. You lost both of your parents, you ended up in Camelot where you had to hide who you were."

"I love it, Arthur. Thank you so much." She said, getting up from the chair and wrapping her arms around the prince.

"Good." He replied, wrapping his arms around her tightly as well. "Now, I have something of great importance to check up on." Arthur told her, letting her go.

Lillian rolled her eyes at him. "Something to do with my brother and what is going on?" She asked, sounding less than enthusiastic.

"No, actually. Something to do with you." He told her, kissing her quickly. "Behave, Lily. Do not go looking for trouble." Arthur warned her.

"I don't go looking for it." She protested. "It just happens to find me. Or usually, you."

Arthur just chuckled at her a little. He knew she was right, wherever they went, trouble seemed to follow. "I'll come to your chamber later for dinner." He whispered to her.

"Okay, I'll be here." Lillian replied, a small smile on her face. "Now, go away and do whatever you need to do."

He smiled at her and left her standing in his chamber on her own. _"Merlin?"_ She called, knowing that she was going to do some digging, to find out what was really going on.

"_Everything okay, Lillian?"_ The warlock replied, not at all sounding concerned.

"_Are you going to tell me what's going on in my kingdom? Or am I going to have to find out by myself?"_ She asked him, walking out of Arthur's room and walking along the corridor.

"_Lillian, don't do this. Your brother is dealing with it, and Arthur is helping him. Please, just don't get involved."_ He pleaded, but he knew it was probably going to be in vain. Time had shown him that Lillian had a mind and a will of her own, and she would follow her own orders and no one else's.

"_Okay, I'll find out by myself then. I'm going for a walk around the castle, in case anyone asks."_ She told him, making her way through the castle. Lillian knew she wasn't meant to be going out on her own, but right now, she really didn't care. She just wanted to know what was going on, and since no one was willing to tell her, she was going to have to work it out for herself.

She actually managed to creep out of the castle without any problems, which surprised her considering the way her brother and Arthur were acting. If things were as serious as they were making out, then where were the guards? Why wasn't she stopped?

"So, where is everyone then?" She mumbled to herself, noticing that the streets seemed a little more empty than they should have been. Lillian was now starting to feel a little more than just frightened.

She tried to shake the feeling off, simply putting it down to that fact that she had no idea what was going on and so was making up ridicules plots in her own mind. Something just didn't seem right, and although she knew there was something going on, she didn't think it was seriously enough for everyone to retreat inside and lock the rest of the world out.

For some reason, it was just putting her on edge. _"Merlin, are you busy?"_ Lillian called to him wondering if he would tell her anything about what was going on yet.

"_Arthur has me running around. Why, is everything okay?"_ There was concern in his voice as he replied to her.

"_Everything is fine. I was just wondering if you wanted to go for a walk or something. I know my brother doesn't want me going out on my own."_ She said, before realising what else he had said. _"Hang on, Arthur is making you work?"_

"_No, I offered to help him with something."_ Merlin answered, a little too quickly for Lillian's liking. _"Really, Lillian, I offered. He isn't making me work."_

She didn't know whether to believe him or not, but she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt. _"Okay, as long as you offered. Well, I'm going to go and find something to do."_

Lillian kept walking the streets, finally hearing the sound of voices. The voices were in hushed tones, as if they were trying not to be heard. She carefully pushed herself forward, following the sound of these voices.

"They're getting suspicious. We need to move on to the next stage." She heard one of the voices whisper.

"No, not yet. We need to get their attention more, otherwise we aren't going to get what we want. They all need to know, they all need to be afraid." The other voice, the more malicious voice, said.

Lillian wanted so desperately to turn the corner and ask these men exactly what they were talking about, but something was telling her that it was a really stupid thing to go.

"Gather everyone for tonight. Tell them by Rob's blacksmith. There are a few still at home around there, young ones. We take them, and then see if we can move on to the next stage." That malicious voice said once more. Lillian was rooted to the spot, until she heard the footsteps coming towards where she was.

For a moment she didn't think she could breathe, let alone move. But a moment later, after filling herself with panic, she found herself to be safely in her room at the castle. "I knew it, something is going on." She grumbled to herself, going and looking out of her window. "And if no one will tell me, then I will find out for myself." She said, before heading over to her wardrobe and carefully picking through her clothes. She needed something simply, something that wouldn't give her away, and something that would keep her hidden.

It didn't take her long to plan her little outfit to creep around it and she placed it to one side of the wardrobe, ready to be grabbed when she needed it. There was a plan forming in her mind, she was going to follow the men, and see for herself exactly what they were doing. Then she could simply use her magic to stop them from the shadows and have the guards come and collect them. She would be back before anyone even realised she was gone.

No one would have to know that she got herself involved, that she left the castle, twice, unattended. Everyone would just be able to relax once more, and she could enjoy the time she had there with Arthur. She knew that if either he or her brother found out what she had done, she would be in some serious trouble.

"Best not to get caught then." She muttered under her breath, closing the wooden doors to the wardrobe and flopping down on her bed. She looked over to the window once more, wishing it was night time already so that she could get out there.

Lillian didn't know how long she had been lying there, gazing over at the window for, but she was brought back to her senses when there was a loud knocking at her door. Letting out a sigh, she pushed herself up from her bed and made her way over to the doors.

"Lillian, would you care to join me for dinner?" Arthur asked her, standing in the doorway and smiling away at her. It was clear that he was trying to not to think about something.

She forced herself to smile, she was also thinking about something else, about what she had heard in the town. "Of course I would."

She followed him to the chamber he was now staying in, neither of them saying a word. Lillian knew she had to find a way to get out of the castle later. That itself was not going to be a problem, getting away from Arthur was the problem.

"Is everything all right, Lillian? You've been very quiet." Arthur asked, halfway through their food.

She wasn't really sure how to answer him. If she brought up the fact that something was happening that no one wanted her to know about, he might get annoyed with her, or angry with her. She promised not to ask about it any, and she wasn't going to, but Lillian had her own plan now.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I am afraid I am not feeling all to well." She told him, hating that fact that she had gone a lied to him. She thought all that was over, that she wouldn't have to lie to him anymore, but it came out so easy.

"Do you wish for me to send for the court physician?" He asked her, looking at her with the concern showing in his eyes.

Lillian shook her head at him. "No, I will be fine. I probably just need some more sleep. Things haven't exactly been, well, peaceful recently have they?"

The prince had to agree with her there, it had always been one thing after another. "Come, I will escort you back to your chamber, when I hope you will get some rest." Lillian just nodded at him and let him help her to stand.

He stayed in the room while she changed behind the screen, before watching as se slowly plodded over to the bed where he was sitting on the edge. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do, Lily?" He asked, tucking a lock of stray hair behind her ear.

"I'm sure, Arthur. Go on, go enjoy the rest of the evening. There is no point you hanging around here with me, all I'm going to do is sleep." She told him.

"Okay, I will come and check on you later, if that is okay?" All Arthur wanted to do was make sure that she really was okay, and Lillian knew this.

"Of course it is okay, Arthur. I'll see you later." She said, leaning over and giving him a quick little peck on the lips.

It brought a smile to the prince's face. "I hope you feel better soon, Lillian." He whispered to her, giving her a quick kiss back before leaving the room.

She let out a sigh of relief once he was gone. She was lying to him, and she really didn't like it. Lillian had lied to him for so long, but when the truth came out, she promised herself that she wouldn't do it again, that there would be no more lies.

Lillian quickly got herself changed again, there was no way she was going out to find out what was happening in her nightgown. The outfit she had selected earlier consisted of black leather pants, tightly fitted and a black shirt. She knew she was going to look like a man, but that was the whole point, she did not want to be spotted or recognised.

She yanked on her black boots and a dark cloak, just to help her keep to the darkness. "Geanoirr mec æt isensmlþ Tom." Lillian whispered, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She knew what she was doing, and she knew that it was probably a very stupid thing to do. But if people weren't going to tell her what was going on, then she would have to find out another way.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in the blacksmiths. A quick look around told her that she had not been spotted, making her let out a sigh of relief. But that was quickly replaced with fear when she head voices talking close by.

"How many tonight?" One of the voices from earlier asked in the darkness.

"Only three. They aren't coming out any more, it's harder to snatch them when they don't come in the open." Another voice hissed back at him.

"Have we not done enough to get their attention yet? We killed and we kidnapped, is that not enough?" a third voice asked, getting his view voiced to the group.

Lillian had been creeping around, trying to get a better look at the group, but her heart almost stopped when she saw three children, bound and gagged, with tears staining their faces. She could feel a fire burning inside of her, and that was probably what caused her to be careless, and to get herself noticed.

The men's heads all snapped around at her gasping, and all eyes focused on where Lillian was standing. She knew she had been caught out now. "So, what do we have here?" One of them said, taking a step closer to Lillian. She could only assume that he was the leader of the group.

He took a step closer, as she was still rooted to the spot, her eyes not leaving those of the helpless children that were before her. She didn't even flinch when the hood of her cloak was thrown back, revealing her face.

"Oh my, if it isn't the Princess Lillian. How nice of you to stop by." The man said, a smirk on his face. "I think we just found out ticket to get what we want." The moment he said that, there came a few laughs from the other men around him.

Lillian finally managed to find her voice. "What is it you want?" She asked them, trying her best to keep her voice firm and strong. She was a princess and her best friend was the Prince of Camelot. She knew how to act.

That really tickled the men, as they all laughed some more. "What do we want, Princess?" The leader asked, taking a step towards her. "We want Arthur Pendragon. And you're going to help us get him." He snarled.

"I don't think so. You want Arthur, you're going to have to kill me first." She hissed at him, preparing herself for a fight. Only the fight never came, she was just grabbed from behind and her hands were held tightly.

"Well, you're going to help us whether you like it or not. The Prince will do what we want if he ever wants to see you alive again." He bared his rotten teeth, an evil smirk just taking over his face all the time.

"I swear, if you even try to hurt him, you are seriously going to regret it." Lillian growled, feeling that she was about to lose her temper, and therefore let her magic roam free. But she knew she couldn't let that happen. There were children there, and the last thing she wanted to do was to scare them.

A hand came into contact with Lillian's face, making a loud noise. She felt her cheek burning as she turned her head back to look at the man. It was taking all she had not to lose control now, especially after that. "You're going to shut up, and do what we tell you, got it?"

"No." She told him firmly. She was not going to be pushed around so easily.

The man just shrugged at her. "Fine, if you won't come willingly, then I'll have to do something about that then, won't I?"

She watched him as his eyes flashed gold, and she realised that they probably all had magic and that the reason they wanted Arthur was because of his father. But she couldn't think any more than that, as she knew she had to pretend to be unconscious. If she was going to help those children, she needed to be with them, and if that meant she had to let them take her, then she would.

Lillian wasn't scared, she would be able to tell Merlin exactly where she was and what was going on. She had no reason to be scared, she could take out every single one of them in the blink of an eye. But not right now, not in front of the innocent children who had been torn from their families.

"Let's move, before someone notices that the dear Princess is missing." The man said.

Lillian felt herself being thrown over someone's shoulder, and she opened her eyes just a crack as she felt the cold night air whirling around her. She reached a hand up to her neck, feeling something hanging there.

There was nothing she could do now until she knew where they were taking her and the children. But she had hope, and she had a plan. It may have looked like she was giving up and going quietly, but that was far from the truth. Lillian knew she could stop them, and she would, because she would never let anyone hurt Arthur.

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**A/N: Once again, sorry for the lateness, spelling and grammar. I have no excuse apart form the fact that I really haven't been able to concentrate on either of my Merlin stories, but I'm getting there. **

**So, thank you to everyone who has favourited/followed and a massive thank you to everyone who has reviewed. You're reviews and support means a lot to me, and I am sorry for not updating sooner. **

**Enough with my yabbering. Remember to review, you know, if you want to. **

**Pippa. **


	30. Hunting for the Princess

Merlin was rushing around the castle, looking for either Arthur or King Irwin. No one had seen Lillian for most of the evening, no one knew where she was, and when he called to her, she never replied. The last time anyone had seen her was when she had dined with Arthur at dinner, but since then, nothing.

Arthur had gone to check on her, like he had said he would, but her chamber was empty. Her bed hadn't been touched and she was nowhere in sight. The whole castle was out looking for her now, but Merlin had a feeling that they weren't going to find her there, he had a very bad feeling that something else had happened to her.

As he turned the corner, he ran into Prince Arthur. "Merlin, have you found her?" The warlock just shook his head at him.

"Arthur, you don't… you don't think that she…" The Prince's eyes widened at the comment that Merlin didn't even need to finish saying.

"No. She wouldn't have." He said before letting out a groan. "Yes, she would. How could she have found out? Why does she never do what she is told?" He grumbled.

"_Lillian, where are you? Please, please answer me."_ Merlin pleaded, hoping that she would reply this time. But still, he heard nothing.

"We need to inform the King. Clearly she isn't in the castle, we should start searching the town." Arthur said, before a figure appeared behind him.

"I have already sent the guards and some knights out to look. I suggest you go and join them, Arthur." Irwin said, a grim look on his face. "This is what I was worried would happen. She has taken it upon herself to find out what is going on, and now, anything could have happened to her."

Arthur nodded at him. "Of course, King Irwin. I will head out immediately with the knights of Camelot. And I will not rest until she has been found." There was determination in his voice, he was a little angry at Lillian for going off, but he was seriously worried as well. He knew that she could take care of herself, but he couldn't help but feel something terrible had happened.

The King nodded at him, before walking away, leaving the Prince and his manservant standing there. "Merlin, gather the knights. We need to find her, I can't help but feel something has happened."

Merlin nodded at him. "I'm getting that feeling as well. But I'm sure she will be safe." He said, trying to assure the prince. Although they both knew she could look after herself, they also knew that she could get into trouble very easily.

It didn't take long for the knights to gather outside around the prince. "I want you to knock on every door, ask every person you see. Princess Lillian must be found." The knights nodded at him, and they all set off in different directions, hunting for the missing princess and asking everyone if they had seen her.

A few hours later, and they still had nothing. No one had seen her, but they had found out that three more children had gone missing.

"You don't think she would have gone after them, do you?" Merlin asked, trying to wrap his head around everything.

Arthur let out a sigh. "Merlin, this is Lillian, of course she would have. But what I want to know is how she managed to get out of the castle in the first place." The moment he had said that, he remembered how she had taken him to the lake.

The pair carried on walking through the deserted streets. Merlin still trying to contact Lillian, and Arthur trying not to think of all the trouble she could be in. They turned the corner and headed down another street, as deserted as the others. The moment the bells has sounded, everyone went inside and locked their doors. The people already knew of the dangers, so there had not been many people out when the bells sounded.

It was in that street that something caught Merlin's eye. "What's that?" He asked, picking up the pace and walking over to where he had seen something glittering on the ground. As he got closer, he saw that it was a necklace, gold with a blue stone on the end shaped like a heart.

The moment Arthur saw it, a lump formed in his throat and he was sure that his heart stopped beating. "No… that's Lily's. I gave that to her today." He whispered, crouching down and picking it up off the ground. The moment he touched it, it glowed brightly.

"Uh, Arthur, why is it glowing like that?" Merlin asked, but already knowing the answer. He could feel it, the magic coming from it.

"We must return to the castle and tell King Irwin. Princess Lillian has been taken." Arthur said, trying to keep it together. Someone had taken her, because he knew there was no way that she would just leave that lying there. He had seen how much she had loved it when he had given it to her, why would she have just discarded it?

The pair of them rushed back to the castle, finding the King in the throne room, pacing. "Arthur, do you have news? Have you found her?" He asked. He was not out looking for her himself, due to the fact that he was worrying about her so much. His mind was churning over everything that could have happened, and he wasn't sure he could handle it any more.

"Sire, we found this." Arthur told him, showing him the necklace that he had given to Lillian earlier that day. "In the street."

Immediately Irwin's heart sunk. "They have taken her." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Sire, there is something else, it seems to keep… glowing." Arthur said cautiously. He had no idea that Merlin knew about Lillian's magic, so he had to be cautious of what he said.

Irwin looked up and it and saw it pulsing blue. His gaze settled on Merlin. Although Arthur didn't know, Irwin know that Merlin was in the loop about her magic. "Merlin, what I am about to say next must never leave this room. You must swear to keep this secret, to take it to your grave." He said, giving him a very firm look. Everything he was saying, was for the benefit of the Prince.

"I swear, King Irwin." Merlin said, realising what was going on.

The King nodded at him. "Lillian has enchanted it. I would say that she went out investigating, and found those who are responsible for what has been happening. She would have left this for you to find so that you can follow it and find her." He explained.

Arthur frowned at him a little. "How will we be able to use it to find her?" He asked, not quite sure what they were meant to do with the necklace.

"The enchantment has linked it to her, it will show you the way. It is not easy to explain I'm afraid, but you should be able to find her with it." King Irwin told them.

Luckily, Merlin was able to understand it better than anyone knew. He could sense her magic, he could feel it, and he knew that with the necklace, and the enchantment that was on it, he would be able to follow her magic to find her.

"We shall ride out immediately. The longer we wait, the further away she will be." Arthur said, full of determination. There was no way he was going to rest until he had her back now.

Just as they were about to leave, the large wooden doors opened and one of the knights of Rolana charged into the room. "Sire, we found this." He said, handing what looked like a note to his King.

Irwin read the note, and let out a sigh. It was the confirmation that the group who had been killing and kidnapping had taken his sister. But it also told him of what he had to do if he wanted her to be returned to him safely, along with the children that had been taken. "Where did you find this?" He finally asked.

"An arrow was holding it to the largest tree in the main square." The knight told him. "We are preparing the horses now, Sire."

Irwin nodded at him. "Chances are they will have headed into the forest, follow the road and keep a sharp eye for anything that could lead you to them. And take care." He said, before the knight nodded and left the room.

Arthur and Merlin just stood there, watching and waiting for instructions. It took a few moments for Irwin to look up at them, after having to make a very hard decision. "Arthur, I know you wish to join the search, that you wish to find Lillian. However, I think it is better for you to stay here and let the knights search for her."

Arthur's mouth dropped open. "What? No. I will not just sit here and wait for someone else to bring her home. I shall be riding out and looking for Lillian." He growled.

"Arthur, please. Let the knights deal with this. They are more than capable of finding her and bringing her home safely." The King said, sounding rather desperate.

"No." Arthur told him firmly. "I will do whatever it takes. I will go out there, and I will not stop searching until I have found her and brought her home." There was so much fire and determination in him.

Irwin let out a sigh. "Arthur, the note…" He said, passing it over to the prince. "They will release Lillian, in return for you." He watched as Arthur read the note, noticing the change in his face. "This is why I do not want you to go after her."

"I don't care." Arthur said, the fire in his eyes grown ever stronger. "I will do whatever it takes to get her back safely. I am not leaving her in their hands."

Irwin could see that he was not going to get anywhere and he rubbed his head. "Okay." He whispered, trying to work everything out in his head. "Okay, fine. I know there is going to be no stopping you. You're as bad as Lillian when it comes to doing what you're told."

"My safety is not any more important than Lillian's." Arthur told him.

"And how do you feel about this, Merlin?" Irwin asked, surprising the warlock and prince at the same time.

"I will do whatever it takes, along side Arthur." The warlock said, getting a slight smile from the prince.

Irwin nodded at the pair. "Then go. You have a better chance of finding her with the necklace." He informed them, looking at the blue stone that Arthur was holding onto. "Lillian is very luck to have you both. I can see why she cares about both of you so much. But you must be cautious. It is you they are truly after, Prince Arthur."

"We will, Sire. Thank you." Arthur said, before rushing out of the room, Merlin hot on his heels.

They knew that they had to be quick, that they really did need to move as fast as they could. Neither of them knew how long ago Lillian had been taken, but hours had past since Arthur had last seen her. He was beyond worried, and knowing that they had taken her in hopes of getting to him, well that made him all the more angry.

The pair of them managed to get horses and ride out rather quickly, charging past the knights who were on their way out to join the search as well. Arthur still had the necklace with him, he was gripping it tightly in his hand.

They stopped when they came to a crossroad. Neither of them were sure which way to turn, there were no tracks for them to follow. "What do we do?" Merlin asked him, still calling out for Lillian, and still getting nothing from her. That wasn't like her, and he was worried that they had hurt her. But he knew she was alive, he knew that much.

Arthur looked at both the paths, they looked the same, both lined with trees with a dirt track leading away from the city. "I don't know. Irwin said that this would show us the way. But I don't know how."

Merlin closed his eyes, trying his hardest to use the bond with Lillian to find where she was, to get any kind of clue as to which direction they should be heading in.

"_Arthur…" _A voice whispered through the air, making Merlin's eye snap open. _"Arthur…" _It called again.

"Lily…" It was her voice, and it was calling to him, to both of them. "Which way? I don't know which way to go?" He asked, looking down at the stone in his hand. There was a hint of desperation in his voice, he was worried, and he wanted her back so badly.

"Arthur, look!" Merlin said, pointing down the road that cut off to the left. There was a blue mist, whipping around on the ground in front of them. "I… I think we need to go that way." Merlin whispered, amazed at what he was seeing.

"Come on." Arthur said, tugging on the reins of the horse and cautiously moved towards the path. The moment the horse stepped on the path, the mist dispersed, leaving the road ahead of them clear.

Merlin still couldn't help but worry at the way he was getting no response from Lillian. So many things kept running through his mind, things that could have happened to her. But he knew she was stronger than that. And so did Arthur, which reminded him of something. "Arthur, how did Lillian enchant the necklace?" He asked, wondering if the prince was actually going to answer him.

"I think you can already guess how, Merlin." Arthur replied, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead.

"You mean, Lillian is a sorceress?" He wondered, pretending to be shocked. "But that…"

The prince turned and looked at him, his eyes full of rage and fire. "If you ever, ever, tell anyone, Merlin, I will have you hanged. Is that understood?"

The warlock nodded at him, knowing full well that Arthur meant every word of it. "And how do you feel about it, Arthur? About her having magic?" He was starting to wonder if his views of magic had been changed now that he knew about Lillian.

"She has saved me life so many times with her magic, and I have only once seen her use it to harm someone." He told him, thinking back to how Lillian had first revealed her magic right before his eyes. "When we were facing those bandits, one of them was about to kill me. I saw her use magic to stop him. And then she ran."

"She was probably scared. You're not known for your care for magic." Merlin commented.

"She was. She thought I would never want to see her again. I understand why she ran, why she was so scared." Arthur told him. The look on her face had said it all, she was scared, but she was truly sorry as well.

"It must have been terrible for her in Camelot, being there when she knew that if she was found out, she would be…" Merlin didn't actually want to finish that sentence.

"I would never let anything happen to her, and she knows this. Lillian means everything to me, Merlin, and I love her regardless of her magic." Arthur told him trying his best to focus on the positives of finding Lillian, and not let his mind wander to what could be happening to her.

Although Merlin already knew this, it was nice for him to hear it from Arthur instead. "And now that she knows that, how are things with you both?" Of course he was curious, but he cared as well.

"Things are… better." Arthur told him, as the horse kept trotting forward. "She's more relaxed now. I know there are still things she isn't telling me, but I can understand why. Apparently there is someone in Camelot who knows about her magic."

"Really?" Merlin said, slightly shocked that Lillian would have told him that.

"Yes, but I do not know who. I'm still not sure I want to know. It has to be someone that she trusts." The prince told him, not really thinking too much about what he was saying.

"So, who does that leave then? I mean, we know she doesn't really speak to people outside of the castle." Merlin was wondering how long it was going to take for Arthur to realise that it was in fact him.

"Well, there is Morgana, Gwen, and you, I suppose. I know Morgana does not like the way my father deals with magic, so it would seem right that she would keep it a secret." He was doing well at thinking about people and why they would keep it secret if they knew about Lillian's magic. "Gwen, I'm not too sure about. She is loyal to Morgana, but I just don't see her being that close to Lillian."

"I think Gwen has had too many bad encounters with magic to willingly protect someone who has it." Of course, Merlin was right.

And so that left Arthur with only one other person. "That would leave you, Merlin. Now, I know that Lillian trusts you, she has always been calm and at ease around you." Arthur reasoned, his mind working overtime to try and work out who it could be. "She talks to you a lot. During the feast, you left and went to her chamber."

"She wanted to know that you were all right, and that everyone arrived safely." Merlin told him, suddenly feeling the need to defend himself. How would Arthur act if he did discover that he had known about her magic the whole time?

"I was always telling her to talk to someone when she couldn't talk to me. I was always telling her to talk to you." Arthur said, pulling at the reins and getting the horse to stop. "And I never asked what either of you spoke about." Yes, it had finally dawned on him. "You were with Lillian when the Sidhe wanted me, and she told me she used magic then."

Merlin was definitely looking very nervous now. "Arthur, I…"

"We are not discussing this now, Merlin." Arthur hissed. He was confident that he had worked it out, and he was seriously annoyed with his servant for not telling him the truth. Then again, he was pleased that Lillian had been able to talk to someone about everything she couldn't talk to him about.

After that, they carried on down the path in silence. Merlin was thinking about how angry Arthur was going to be with him, and Arthur was thinking of ways to punish his servant. The prince had seen the signs, the way she was always able to talk to him, the looks that the pair of them shared. He was annoyed with himself for not spotting it before.

It wasn't until he heard the voice of his manservant that he finally brought himself out of his own world and back to the task of finding Lillian. "Arthur, it's glowing again." The warlock said, pointing to the stone in the hands of the prince.

"Then we need to start heading a different way." He said, looking around them. The path continued straight, and was lined with trees on either side. "But where do we go?" He wondered, letting hiss eyes fall back on the blue stone.

Merlin's eyes darted between the trees, he had been getting a much stronger feeling of Lillian's magic as they had been moving, so he knew they were getting closer. But he still wasn't hearing anything from her, she still wasn't replying to his calls. It was then that he felt a strong surge of her magic coming from a small gap between the trees to their right.

He walked his horse over towards the gap, it was big enough for a horse to get through, but small enough not to really be noticed in passing. "I think we have to go this way." He said, looking down the path.

As he finished speaking, the blue mist that they had seen before swished up and around the path he was standing before. "Then let's go. We have to get her back, Merlin." Arthur said, before tugging at his own horse and taking the lead down the path.

"I'm sure they haven't harmed her." Merlin told him, trying to reassure him and himself. "I mean, they need her if they want you, don't they?"

Arthur let out a sigh. "Yes, so they will not kill her, but they could still harm her, Merlin. They only need her to live to exchange her for me, but even still, these people can not be trusted." He told him, watching as the blue mist faded the further along they walked.

Lillian really was helping them, even though she wasn't there. She was leading them down the right paths, showing them the way that she was taken. Arthur just wondered why she hadn't used her magic to escape, to get away from them and return home safely. He knew she was more than capable of it, and that fact that she hadn't made him fear that something terrible had happened.

The deeper into the forest they went, the darker and colder it became. "I don't like this." Arthur muttered, having the sinking feeling that they were being watched. Every leaf that rustled in the wind made him jump, and put him on his guard.

"We have to be getting closer now. They can't be too much further ahead." Merlin told him, once more trying to reach Lillian. He was giving up hope that she was going to ever reply to him now.

"_Merlin? Where are you?" _She finally called back, sounding rather calm considering she had been kidnapped.

He let out a sigh of relief. _"In the forest, trying to find you."_ He told her.

"_You found the necklace then?" _She asked, a hint of hopefulness in her tone.

"_Yes, Arthur has it. We're using it to find you." _

"_Merlin, it's a trap. They want Arthur, they want revenge on his father for the great purge, for the people he has killed because of their magic. Please, you have to get him back to Rolana." _Lillian pleaded, actually sounding rather desperate.

"_We know they want Arthur, they left a note. They are willing to trade you for Arthur." _ Merlin told her, remembering what the note said, about releasing Lillian and the children if they handed over the Prince of Camelot.

"_No, you have to get him away. They don't just want him, Merlin, the plan to kill him. Please, these men have magic, and they do not care who they hurt when using it." _She called, going past being desperate and almost pleading with the warlock. _"Merlin, please, you have to take him back. I… I will find my own way out of here, with the children, but please don't let him go any further."_

Merlin didn't really know what to do, he wanted to find her, to get her back safely, but he wanted to keep Arthur safe as well. Even though the prince knew that it was a trap, so that they could get him, he still would not give up looking. _"Lillian, Arthur is as stubborn as you. He will not listen to me, like he did not listen to your brother."_ He told her, trying to make it clear that there was no way of stopping Arthur in his quest to save her.

"_Then you have to do everything you can to keep him safe. I have heard their plans for him, and I do not like them one bit, Merlin. But right now there is nothing I can do. I can't use my magic here, not in front of these children." _Lillian knew that if she did, she would not only scare them, but reveal to them that she possesses magic. She didn't want that, she needed to keep it hidden a while longer, until magic was no longer frowned upon.

"_Lillian, I promise to keep Arthur safe. But you need to tell me if they have done anything to harm you." _

"_Merlin, I'm fine. I few cuts and bruises, but nothing broken. I will be fine. Now tell me, how many times has the stone shown you the way?"_ She asked him, trying to work out how far away from her they were.

He had to pause to think about it. _"Twice. Once to turn left when the road forked, and just now to take a hidden path between the trees."_

"_You are still some distance away, but you should soon come across an old fire. They stopped there for a while. But you really do need to be careful, Merlin. They spoke about sending some people into the forest to keep watch. You have to keep hidden."_ The warlock could hear how much she was worrying, and it wasn't even about herself, it was about everyone else, including the children she didn't even know.

"_I promise we shall be careful, Lillian."_ He told her, before being distracted by Arthur calling his name.

"You have been staring at your hands for the past five minutes, when you need to be keeping a look out." Arthur told him in a low growl. He was getting more irritated, which was understandable.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about Lillian. I really hope she is okay." Merlin told him, before the pair continued on their journey, deeper into the forest, and closer to the dangers. There was more going on around them than either of them could see, and Arthur's uneasy feeling that they were being watches was not just him being paranoid.

In the darkness, hidden from sight, high up in the trees, a pair of beady red eyes gazed down at them. They were full of fire, and hunger, and they were not wandering from the sight of the prince and his manservant.

* * *

**A/N: Hello all my lovely readers. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, I'm trying to pull it together, honestly. Unfortunately, when I go back to university in September I will lose a lot of my free time. So I may be cutting back on my stories. **

**I will eventually be putting a poll up, but I'm going to be asking people which 2 stories I should focus on. I will still be trying my best to update everything else, but just not as often. So think about it, I know some of you read all my stories. **

**Now, thank you to everyone who has favourited/followed, I'm glad you like my story. And a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, you guys are totally awesome and really know how to make me smile.**

**I'm working on the next chapter now, so I will post it (hopefully) the same time next week.**

**Pippa.**


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